The violent crime rate is up and the bail system needs reforming - What's Your Point?
HOUSTON - The legislative campaign to interrupt the serial release of dangerous, repeat, violent offenders in Harris County moved a major step closer to becoming law
Senate Bill 21 would severely limit the illegibility of repeat violent offenders to obtain freedom before trial by jury.
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This week Harris County D.A. Kim Ogg delivered powerful numbers to the Senate Jurisprudence committee in support of the bill. Telling lawmakers 10,000 defendants out on bond in 2020 committed nearly 19,000 new offenses.
Victim’s advocate Andy Kahan has been tracking the numbers and 103 of those preventable crimes were "murder".
Texas 87th Legislature updates
Senator Huffman's billl, seeks to end the practice of releasing violent offenders on personal bonds, and some offenders on multiple bonds. The bill also calls for increasing the resources judges are required to consider when setting bonds, allowing them to make more educated determinations on bail amounts. Additionally, the bill calls for the establishment of a reporting system to track and monitor bail bonds administered throughout the state. "This new reporting system is intended to increase both transparency and accountability, which is always a good thing in the criminal justice arena," said Huffman.