Wed
May 15 2013
07:36 am
Bail Bondsman Income Protection Plan Holds Up Jail Recertification
By: WhitesCreek

Due to the inability of the Roane County Commission to act in defiance of heavy lobbying to save Roane County millions in tax money, our Taj Ma Jail has not been re-certified by the State due to over population.

As we've seen in previous posts the vast majority of jail inmates are simply unable to meet their bail bond while awaiting trial. Typical bail bond fees are in the $250 to $450 range and average pretrial detentions are about 55 days, so it costs us roughly $3000.00 to keep these people in jail. The County could pay the bail bond itself and save $2500 per inmate.

That is not a reasonably expected outcome of a Roane County Commission meeting but the ankle bracelet option surely would be feasible. Cost would be $7 a day saving us $48 per day. That's a savings of $2600 on the average 55 day incarceration. That's about $17,000 per year per inmate. If we're talking 150 inmates meeting the criteria, that's roughly $17,000 x 150 = $2.55 million dollars we could cut off the jail operating costs.

Here's the RCN Story

Actually the jail IS certified...

Submitted by RoaneBooster on May 15, 2013 - 9:54am.

The jail remains certified - at least if the reporting in the article is accurate - but IS IN DANGER OF DECERTIFICATION when there is a reinspection early in July. The most recent inspection did not decertify the jail. It noted one deficient area - that of female overcrowding.

The Sheriff noted that he would be talking to DAG Johnson about ways to resolve the overcrowding.

I suppose my main point is that it is not the same to say that the jail is decertified - which it is not (therefore it remains certified) - as it is to say that the recertification was not made but was deferred to a later reinspection in July.

All that said, I hope the Commission will approve the funding of such things as ankle locator bracelets that were proposed by County Exec Ron Woody previously. As you say, it is an investment that could save some significant dollars.

RB

You are correct and I did

Submitted by WhitesCreek on May 15, 2013 - 11:58am.

You are correct and I did mean "Re-certified" as stated in the title. fixed in the body now.

What RCN story are you

Submitted by Roane-Voter on May 18, 2013 - 8:48am.

What RCN story are you linking? When I click the link it simply takes me to another thread inside Roane Views.

I don't know the percentages but was told another factor in overcrowding is inmates who refuse to make a bond even if they are able. Inmates who are wanted in other jurisdictions will refuse to pay their Roane County bond because it would essentially being throwing money away. If they are wanted in another jurisdiction simply making bond in Roane County sends them to another jail where they may have an even higher bond (which is very likely since bonds in Roane County are historically low) or no bond at all.

Thanks for the Link note.. fixed it

Submitted by WhitesCreek on May 18, 2013 - 9:49am.

All of those things may be true but that should make no difference in our decision process? There is still no reason to keep someone in jail when we can keep tabs on them for $2 million less a year. The ones who are a danger to the community should be kept in jail but the numbers say that's a very small minority of the population.

What is the relationship

Submitted by romanstone on May 18, 2013 - 6:09pm.

What is the relationship between the Bail Bondsman and the Commission? I fear this is why the Roane County Commission hasn't passed ankle bracelet reform. Instead they said they needed more time to study it. I understand it's up to the judge. I would want some assurances to prevent conflicts of interest like the ones from the Austin driving school mess. I don't see why the driving school and the ankle bracelet monitoring can't be staffed by on-the-clock Sheriff office employees, instead of contractors. I would think we could even save more money by buying the bracelets and doing our own monitoring. Will the Bail Bondsman lose money? I hope so.

I don't mind the bailbond

Submitted by WhitesCreek on May 18, 2013 - 6:41pm.

I don't mind the bailbond folks making a living. I just want them to provide a service that the county needs instead of the County making sure they make a bunch of money.

Bail Bondsmen Seem to be Unpopular Characters

Submitted by RoaneBooster on May 18, 2013 - 7:45pm.

I've known a number of them. I couldn't say they provide "the county" with a service, but they provide many citizens with a service they need. Their fee is standard. They are bonded and have required escrow accounts to cover defaults. They are approved by the judiciary after meeting state regulated requirements. I'm not sure why it's supposed to be good to make a bail bondsman lose money. Sounds like they are losing quite a bit by people not making their bonds. I'm not sure why they are painted as not criminals themselves, but at least as unsavory characters.

If you have some idea that the Sheriff's budget has room in it to pay deputies to run a driving school and run bracelet monitoring services, you badly need to talk to Jack Stockton and Tim Phillips about how much money this last budget process has left them floating in.

What are the assurances you need to prevent conflicts of interest? Have you spoken with any judge or DA about what the process is or should be (if it isn't what it should be)?

I'm not aware of a specific relationship - or what it would be - between the Commission and bail bondsmen. Those operations are regulated by the judges, etc.

RB

The driving school was

Submitted by romanstone on May 18, 2013 - 9:03pm.

The driving school was regulated by a former judge. Under Austin the part-time Driving School contractor made more than the County Executive, plus his Secretary. Which should make more from the public? So, yes we would have saved money from funding the Sheriff's staff to run the Driving School instead of a political appointee. Wanting the Bail Bondsman to make less money is only wanting the money to be spent another way or saved from spending all together. We have too many people with background issues hampering their lives and employment. Nothing that I have said should have been viewed as negative to the general public nor the public officials as it was just questioning the status quo. Questioning the status quo is how we often progress. It should be a potive to explore solutions from different points of view. Does the Bail Bondsman make more than the County Executive or the Sheriff? I would only guess, more than likely. Do we need to track campaign donations? I am not sure they are trackable.

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