Battle over bail bonds
| Posted on: Tue, 04/13/2010 - 6:12am | |
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Battle over bail bonds
A measure to limit pretrial release programs has turned into political gamesmanship. The sponsor, a future House speaker, stripped controversial language last month to disarm a skeptical panel -- but restored a similar provision Monday with the consent of friendlier lawmakers. And now a prominent bail bond business is being criticized for hosting a fundraiser for state Rep. Sandy Adams just three days after she helped pushed the bill through her committee. ``This whole thing smells,'' said Hillsborough County Sheriff's Col. Jim Previtera. The measure would eliminate pretrial release programs operated in several Florida counties by limiting eligibility only to indigent, nonviolent defendants. It also revokes a county's ability to charge a fee, with exceptions for court-ordered GPS monitoring and rehabilitation programs. BARBED EXCHANGES It's a polarizing battle, drawing barbed exchanges in hearings as the bail bond industry fights what it sees as an overzealous government competing with business. The local entities -- led by sheriffs -- contend the measure will make it harder for defendants to get out of jail and cost taxpayers millions more to house and feed inmates awaiting trial. The debate consumed the House Criminal and Civil Justice Policy Council for more than an hour before it easily won approval. It now goes to the full House but faces an uphill battle in the Senate. In advancing it, Rep. Chris Dorworth, the anointed House leader in 2014, drew criticism for his tactics. He helped add a controversial provision after previously deleting similar language in a committee where he needed the support of a Democrat, who gave it an edge, 6-5. Dorworth said the new language was a compromise that lets judges determine if a defendant is indigent and able to participate in the pretrial programs. But Rep. Perry Thurston, a Plantation Democrat, suggested it appeared disingenuous. ``I think it's potentially an attempt to do through the back door what he couldn't do through the front door,'' he said. FUNDRAISER Adams, R-Orlando, who is running for Congress, is also drawing rebukes from critics. The president and lobbyist for Accredited, a prominent Central Florida bail bond insurer, hosted a fundraiser for Adams on March 29, just days after her House criminal justice budget committee passed the bill. ``It is very clear to me that when you have special interests with influence, these influences sometimes get preference over taxpayer's interests,'' said Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats. Adams, a former sheriff's deputy, said she supported the bill but didn't lobby for it. She disputed the timing. ``I never thought of it that way,'' she said. ``It had no bearing.'' The event raised at least $10,000. Deborah Jallad, the Accredited president, said she is a friend of Adams and also rejected any insinuations about the close timing of the vote and the fundraiser. State law forbids lawmakers from raising campaign cash during the 60-day legislative session but provides exemptions for those running for Congress. All together, Accredited donated $15,000 to state lawmakers in the 2010 cycle and other bail bond companies added thousands more. Dorworth, the sponsor, received more than $4,000. He said it didn't influence his efforts. Herald/Times staff writer Lee Logan contributed to this report. Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/13/1576502/battle-over-bail-bonds.html#ixzz0kzDsEhna |
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Pretrial services can and does do everything within their power to take over bail bonds. They fight dirty, they lie and they never keep accurate records of their FTA's. Then when bail agents fight back they're accused of "something fishy".
It seems that bail agents and Pretrial Service could work together, and by doing so save a lot of taxpayer money. If the courts would allow bail agents to get what they can at no expense to the taxpayer and then allow Pretrial Services to get what they can, jails would be less jammed and the cost to the jails would be significantly less.
Incentive is what makes things work. Money is my incentive and it's my job to find what it takes to give a defendant the incentive to make his or her court appearances. I wonder what Pretrial Services uses for incentive. You can figure that out by their results (FTA's).
My name is Michael Gray, I've been licensed as a Colorado bail bondsman since August of 1978. I can be contacted by going to www.pdqbail.com.
Lot of good information there. There is a battle everywhere :)
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