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    Judge Rules That Sheriff Can’t Restrict Jail-Mail To Postcards

Judge Rules That Sheriff Can’t Restrict Jail-Mail To Postcards

In 2010, the Ventura County Sheriff's Department approved a measure that restricted the types of mail that can come into the county jails.

Namely, letters and cards were out- and postcards were in.

The reason for this, according to sources within the corrections department, was their wanting to take a proactive approach to restricting contraband.  People on the outside were starting to get a little too creative in terms of how they were smuggling drugs into the facility and the sheriff's department felt a postcard only policy would help thwart that.

But thanks to the recent lawsuit filed by Prison Legal News, …

By |September 11th, 2014|National|Comments Off on Judge Rules That Sheriff Can’t Restrict Jail-Mail To Postcards
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What The Ferguson Police Can Learn From The LAPD

The community of Ferguson, Missouri has a lot of healing to do in the upcoming months; some say police there can and should take a few lessons from how the LAPD handled their city after the Rodney King riots.

More than 50 people died in the LA riots.  Back then, many saw the Los Angeles Police Department as an "occupying army" of sorts-  they certainly didn't seem like a police force.

A lot has changed in Southern California in the past 22 years.  The federal government stepped in to help transform the department.  They also worked to get a new police …

By |September 9th, 2014|National|Comments Off on What The Ferguson Police Can Learn From The LAPD
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You’ll Pay to Be Arrested – Guilty or Not

As if the whole process of getting arrested isn't bad enough, Chicago is testing a plan that requires every person who is arrested to pay for their trip to lock up.

One city village passed a measure that requires anyone who is booked and charged with a crime write a $30 check payable to the city (even if they are later found not guilty).

This is less about offsetting costs for detention services, according to a recent report.  Instead, it's a (hairbrained?) fundraising tool that elected officials hope will offset a nearly $340 million budget deficit.

As long as people keep taking …

By |June 12th, 2014|National|Comments Off on You’ll Pay to Be Arrested – Guilty or Not
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The Governor, The Supreme Court And The CA Jails Problem

The latest round of litigation in the California jail realignment program relates to the state wanting to move disabled offenders back into state prisons.

Jails were never designed to hold inmates for more than 12 months at a time and because of that, their facilities are far more limited than those that were built to house people for years at a time.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, maybe we should start at the beginning.

Several years back the US Supreme Court ordered the vastly overcrowded CA prisons to cut their population in a very big way.  In theory it was …

By |June 11th, 2014|National|Comments Off on The Governor, The Supreme Court And The CA Jails Problem
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Research Shows Climate Changes Can Impact Crime Rates

Lots of things are blamed on the weather and particularly on climate changes: rising seas, increasing average temperatures and changes in the rainfall patterns.

Research shows that even slight rises in temperature can affect the behavior of people.

Environmental economist Matthew Ranson has predicted that the rising temperatures in the US will result in an additional 180,000 rape cases, 22,000 murders and more than a million burglaries and other crimes throughout the rest of this century.

Those numbers are based on the existing crime data and projections for changes in temperature that are widely accepted in the scientific community.

Ranson also says that …

By |March 27th, 2014|National|Comments Off on Research Shows Climate Changes Can Impact Crime Rates
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    Inmate Smackdown At The Jail Formerly Known For Choreographed Dance

Inmate Smackdown At The Jail Formerly Known For Choreographed Dance

A Philippine jail that had previously gained notoriety for it's dancing inmates has said it's now setting its sights on producing world-class boxers.

It all started late last year when a former amateur boxer-turned-felon reportedly asked jail officials if they'd consider building a boxing ring.  Sure, the flash-mob style dance choreography was fun for some, but it wasn't for everyone.

He said a growing number of inmates realized they too wanted to find a productive way to spend their time.  Sports, he said, was their answer.
Supermax Boxing Team makes its debut
A consultant at the jail donated a few pairs of boxing …

By |March 25th, 2014|National|Comments Off on Inmate Smackdown At The Jail Formerly Known For Choreographed Dance
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Jail Inmates Signing Up For Obamacare

Proponents of the Affordable Care Act say it really is available to everyone
When the Obama administration rolled out their national healthcare plan they probably didn't know large numbers of inmates could be signing up.

Jails, though, feel it's a win-win.  Not only does it allow them to save money on health care costs, they're hoping it will cut recidivism rates.

Statistics show that a large percentage of people who are sentenced to serve time wind up back behind bars, and many of those crimes relate to things like mental health issues, drug abuse and in some cases, people who get arrested …

By |March 12th, 2014|National|Comments Off on Jail Inmates Signing Up For Obamacare
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    Bondsman Charged With Attempted Murder For Shooting Bail Skip

Bondsman Charged With Attempted Murder For Shooting Bail Skip

Defendant is just one bad apple in a landscape of honest company owners
Although most bail bondsmen conduct business on the up and up, you'll occasionally hear a story about someone who goes rogue.

This is one of those stories.

A 33 year-old Alabama bondsman has been booked on attempted murder charges after allegedly a client because he didn't go to court.

McGiboney called a 21 year-old client last week saying he needed to come to his office.  His company was going to be on the hook for paying the man's bail forfeiture, he said, because the defendant never bothered to show up …

By |February 25th, 2014|National|Comments Off on Bondsman Charged With Attempted Murder For Shooting Bail Skip
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Collect Calls From Jail No Longer Billed At An Arm & A Leg

Skyrocketing collect call prevented inmates from reaching their families
When someone is in jail, getting through friends and family members is a lifeline.

But unless you've ever received a call from an inmate, you probably didn't know that the companies who bill the people who receive these calls- often charge exorbitant rates.

The good news, according to inmate advocate groups, is that things have changed.

And it's all thanks to an elderly woman who complained to the Federal Communications Commission (FCCC) that it was too expensive to receive calls from her jailed grandson.

In the past, inmates' families have needed to shell out nearly …

By |February 23rd, 2014|National|Comments Off on Collect Calls From Jail No Longer Billed At An Arm & A Leg
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Jailbreak For Valentines Day Date

Not Your Typical Valentine Break-up
An Arizona man is in hot water after breaking out of prison on Valentine's Day.

Inmate Joseph Dekenipp said the effort was all in the name of love.  During the escape, he sustained scrapes, cuts, bruises and is now facing additional charges- all because he wanted to see his girlfriend.

Corrections officials say the escape was quite the effort- especially since the detainee had to scale a tall fence and work his way through razor wire in order to make his way off the property.

The inmate and his girlfriend planned to meet at a saloon that was …

By |February 16th, 2014|National|Comments Off on Jailbreak For Valentines Day Date
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