Bail Burden Keeps U.S. Jails Stuffed With Inmates

[California Girl]

Why spend $7,000 dollars of taxpayer money to keep someone in jail for 6 months when he hasn't even been convicted of a crime...and the crime in that one case being stealing a blanket...

You honestly think that is a good use of taxpayer money?

No, but following your logic, why bother even arresting the guy. It's not about taxpayers money - he stole from a business and that business has the right to have the perp penalized. It's not that I don't feel a lot of sympathy for the guy. I work with homeless people and it's very much a 'there but for the grace of God' thing.... almost anyone can end up homeless with a run of bad luck and no assistance. The problem I have is that there is assistance out there for homeless people. He had options, he chose to steal instead of asking for help.

I think your attitude towards the bail bondsmen was pretty stupid though. They are a legitimate business... I know profit and business are the new Nazis but really, without the private sector, without business, without profit, your liberal utopia is unachievable.... Someone has to pay for your government handouts.

 

[chanel]

What's the alternative? Allowing people to steal stuff they need?

Any loser who is so unloved that not one person would put up bail for him, is probably better off in jail. Believe it or not, 3 hots and a cot is comforting for losers.

 

[Ravi]

Why spend $7,000 dollars of taxpayer money to keep someone in jail for 6 months when he hasn't even been convicted of a crime...and the crime in that one case being stealing a blanket...

You honestly think that is a good use of taxpayer money?

No, but following your logic, why bother even arresting the guy. It's not about taxpayers money - he stole from a business and that business has the right to have the perp penalized. It's not that I don't feel a lot of sympathy for the guy. I work with homeless people and it's very much a 'there but for the grace of God' thing.... almost anyone can end up homeless with a run of bad luck and no assistance. The problem I have is that there is assistance out there for homeless people. He had options, he chose to steal instead of asking for help.

I think your attitude towards the bail bondsmen was pretty stupid though. They are a legitimate business... I know profit and business are the new Nazis but really, without the private sector, without business, without profit, your liberal utopia is unachievable.... Someone has to pay for your government handouts.

Indeed. Why arrest someone for stealing a blanket? Especially a first time offender. Issue him a notice to appear in court, let him plead guilty or not guilty, and go on from there.

If you listen to or read the article (though maybe it was in part two) you'll discover that in most cases the bondsman don't pay up if their clients don't go to court and they also don't go out and round them up and turn them over to the law.

And they lobby and pay for politicians that keep this system going...the system of ripping off taxpayers.

 

[Ravi]

What's the alternative? Allowing people to steal stuff they need?

Any loser who is so unloved that not one person would put up bail for him, is probably better off in jail. Believe it or not, 3 hots and a cot is comforting for losers.

The alternative is to give them a notice to appear and let them have their day in court to be judged and punished if guilty.

 

[California Girl]

Why spend $7,000 dollars of taxpayer money to keep someone in jail for 6 months when he hasn't even been convicted of a crime...and the crime in that one case being stealing a blanket...

You honestly think that is a good use of taxpayer money?

No, but following your logic, why bother even arresting the guy. It's not about taxpayers money - he stole from a business and that business has the right to have the perp penalized. It's not that I don't feel a lot of sympathy for the guy. I work with homeless people and it's very much a 'there but for the grace of God' thing.... almost anyone can end up homeless with a run of bad luck and no assistance. The problem I have is that there is assistance out there for homeless people. He had options, he chose to steal instead of asking for help.

I think your attitude towards the bail bondsmen was pretty stupid though. They are a legitimate business... I know profit and business are the new Nazis but really, without the private sector, without business, without profit, your liberal utopia is unachievable.... Someone has to pay for your government handouts.

Indeed. Why arrest someone for stealing a blanket? Especially a first time offender. Issue him a notice to appear in court, let him plead guilty or not guilty, and go on from there.

If you listen to or read the article (though maybe it was in part two) you'll discover that in most cases the bondsman don't pay up if their clients don't go to court and they also don't go out and round them up and turn them over to the law.

And they lobby and pay for politicians that keep this system going...the system of ripping off taxpayers.

None of which is the fault of the bondsmen. You arrest someone for theft.... theft is theft. If there was no theft, prices would be cheaper for everyone. Store owners have the right not to lose the stock they pay for. It doesn't matter whether it's one blanket or 1000 blankets. You don't give a thought to the store owner but you'd be mad as a wet hen it it was your shit someone stole and the DA said it was no big deal.

 

[Ravi]

Did you read the article? If so, you'd see the connection the bail bondsmen have to this mess.

So you do believe that spending several thousand dollars to hold someone in jail before they are convicted for what amounts to petty theft is a good use of taxpayer's money?

 

[California Girl]

Did you read the article? If so, you'd see the connection the bail bondsmen have to this mess.

So you do believe that spending several thousand dollars to hold someone in jail before they are convicted for what amounts to petty theft is a good use of taxpayer's money?

I rarely take the media's word for anything. They have their own agenda, and that is rarely to honestly and without bias report facts.

I believe that people who break the law deserve the consequences, that is not always 'good' use of taxpayers money, but it is 'appropriate' use of taxpayers money. There is a difference.

 

[uscitizen]

Offshore our prison industry to Mexico.

 

[Ravi]

Did you read the article? If so, you'd see the connection the bail bondsmen have to this mess.

So you do believe that spending several thousand dollars to hold someone in jail before they are convicted for what amounts to petty theft is a good use of taxpayer's money?

I rarely take the media's word for anything. They have their own agenda, and that is rarely to honestly and without bias report facts.

I believe that people who break the law deserve the consequences, that is not always 'good' use of taxpayers money, but it is 'appropriate' use of taxpayers money. There is a difference.

There's nothing appropriate about spending $7,000 in taxpayer money because someone stole a ten dollar item from me.

 

[uscitizen]

Just allow deadly force in defense of all personal property and jail crowding/costs will drop?

 

[Ravi]

Just allow deadly force in defense of all personal property and jail crowding/costs will drop?

Probably, but I don't think deadly force would have been warranted in this case.

As a matter of fact, the guy was asked to return the blanket and he did. I'm not even sure if it were me that I would have bothered calling the cops.

But I see by this thread that some people want big brother to protect them from petty thieves no matter how much it costs.

 

[uscitizen]

I just hate thieves, probably the main reason I don't like politicians.

 

[California Girl]

Did you read the article? If so, you'd see the connection the bail bondsmen have to this mess.

So you do believe that spending several thousand dollars to hold someone in jail before they are convicted for what amounts to petty theft is a good use of taxpayer's money?

I rarely take the media's word for anything. They have their own agenda, and that is rarely to honestly and without bias report facts.

I believe that people who break the law deserve the consequences, that is not always 'good' use of taxpayers money, but it is 'appropriate' use of taxpayers money. There is a difference.

There's nothing appropriate about spending $7,000 in taxpayer money because someone stole a ten dollar item from me.

Well, when you own a store and that ten dollar item is one of a couple of hundred ten dollar items that gets stolen from you every day, and your profit margins drop and you have to charge your customers more and you have to lay people off because you can't afford to pay them, then maybe you wouldn't be so dismissive of it.

 

[Ravi]

I rarely take the media's word for anything. They have their own agenda, and that is rarely to honestly and without bias report facts.

I believe that people who break the law deserve the consequences, that is not always 'good' use of taxpayers money, but it is 'appropriate' use of taxpayers money. There is a difference.

There's nothing appropriate about spending $7,000 in taxpayer money because someone stole a ten dollar item from me.

Well, when you own a store and that ten dollar item is one of a couple of hundred ten dollar items that gets stolen from you every day, and your profit margins drop and you have to charge your customers more and you have to lay people off because you can't afford to pay them, then maybe you wouldn't be so dismissive of it.

That's why I have insurance.

But it is noted that you are okay with wasting taxpayer's money on some things.

 

[uscitizen]

There's nothing appropriate about spending $7,000 in taxpayer money because someone stole a ten dollar item from me.

Well, when you own a store and that ten dollar item is one of a couple of hundred ten dollar items that gets stolen from you every day, and your profit margins drop and you have to charge your customers more and you have to lay people off because you can't afford to pay them, then maybe you wouldn't be so dismissive of it.

That's why I have insurance.

But it is noted that you are okay with wasting taxpayer's money on some things.

Insurance rates rise if your claims rise.

 

[Ravi]

Well, when you own a store and that ten dollar item is one of a couple of hundred ten dollar items that gets stolen from you every day, and your profit margins drop and you have to charge your customers more and you have to lay people off because you can't afford to pay them, then maybe you wouldn't be so dismissive of it.

That's why I have insurance.

But it is noted that you are okay with wasting taxpayer's money on some things.

Insurance rates rise if your claims rise.

Yep...so I can decide if I want to make a claim or not. Funny how that works.

 

[uscitizen]

That's why I have insurance.

But it is noted that you are okay with wasting taxpayer's money on some things.

Insurance rates rise if your claims rise.

Yep...so I can decide if I want to make a claim or not. Funny how that works.

so if you do not make a claim how do you cover the loss?

 

[Ravi]

Insurance rates rise if your claims rise.

Yep...so I can decide if I want to make a claim or not. Funny how that works.

so if you do not make a claim how do you cover the loss?

$10...I just write it off as a cost of doing business.

 

[uscitizen]

Yep...so I can decide if I want to make a claim or not. Funny how that works.

so if you do not make a claim how do you cover the loss?

$10...I just write it off as a cost of doing business.

Does it become a business loss on a tax balance sheet?
And will that in the long run make others pay more taxes?

Yeah I know I am pushing it a bit

My point is there is not any free lunch, someone always pays.

 

[AkronGuy]

Why spend $7,000 dollars of taxpayer money to keep someone in jail for 6 months when he hasn't even been convicted of a crime...and the crime in that one case being stealing a blanket...

You honestly think that is a good use of taxpayer money?

Why doesn't he file a motion ? Why doesn't he contact his public defender ?

And it wasn't one blanket, it was three, and it was 120 dollars worth. There's charities that provide such things. A thief is a thief. Simple as that, and why should they give him a signature bond ? He's homeless and therefore has no connections to the community in a manner which would ensure he'd show up. But I will say there are problems with that district's justice system. But regardless, if he's not going to pursue his rights, the court's not going to do it.