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Judge Wants Review of Pre-trial Releases
11/18/09 - 02:47 PM

Jackson County Floridan

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County Judge Woody Hatcher is trying to decide whether, and under what conditions to continue his pre-trial release program.

The review comes on the heels of another recent change in how Hatcher deals with the inmates he oversees.

In early November, Hatcher suspended the public works program for the inmates he sentences. He applied the suspension to inmates sentenced in the future, but is allowing those already in the program to complete it. He’s appointing a committee to see if his concerns about security and supervision can be resolved so that the work program can be reinstated.

Hatcher says he is also looking at changes to his pre-trial release program, which allows certain low-risk jail inmates to be released without bail to await their court appearances.

When a person accused of a crime in his court comes before him seeking release before trial, Hatcher sets certain conditions that allow the individual to remain out of jail without paying bail, if he deems such a release appropriate.

It controls the jail population and also financially relieves the accused of having to come up with money for bail.

Hatcher said that, while he always strives to make sure that conditions are safe for such releases, he is having second thoughts now about the wisdom of such a program.

In a written explanation of his decision to review this policy with the aid of a committee, Hatcher wrote that “times have changed since the court’s implementation of its pre-trial release program and should be re-evaluated. A determination needs to be made as to whether the (program) is providing the best release decisions possible and whether it should be modified or terminated.”

The committee helping him with that review will be made up of someone from the State Attorney’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office, the chief county probation officer, a county commissioner and two members of the community at large.

To guide the review, Hatcher wants the committee to consider several factors, which he listed in his explanation of the decision to review pre-trial releases.

The committee will be asked to make recommendations on the type of release that can best protect the citizens of the county, and is fair to the individual who is arrested and placed in jail.

Also under consideration is whether the financial ability to make bond at the time of arrest should be a factor, and whether a bail bond schedule be available at the jail like in other counties, so that individuals who have the money would be able to secure their freedom without having to stay in jail until appearing before the judge.

Lastly, the committee is being asked to determine if the conditional pre-trial release program is the best alternative for protecting the citizens of Jackson County.