If you read the article Gerie Crawford: Bail bond lobby wants to stick it to taxpayers (Gainsville Sun.com) authored by a self-styled “concerned citizen of Alachua County” arguing against HB 445 and SB 782 you might have been struck, as I was, with how this “concerned citizen” could be so extensively knowledgeable on the subject.
Let me say up front that I am a member of America’s private sector commercial bail bonding industry. And you, Gerie, are doing the old shuck and jive. You are cleverly pointing reader’s attention away from the fact that pretrial release is about one thing and one thing only: getting the accused back to court.
HB 445 and SB 782, concern themselves with addressing the problem of persons released through Florida’s taxpayer funded “free bail store” not making their court date. That and the fact that these fugitives are highly recidivistic. These two factors combine to establish that Florida taxpayers are unknowingly funding county agencies that create crime in their communities. How about responsible use of taxpayer monies, safer…
Click here to read the full bail bond industry blog post or visit Behind the Paper with Jerry Watson.