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Costly Renovation Proposed for Los Angeles County Jails
The LA County Board of Supervisors may soon approve a proposed renovation for two of the county’s jails, with an estimated cost of $1.4 billion. Both the Sheriff and the County Chief Executive believe that the renovations will serve to improve the safety of the system as well as reduce operating costs. Some members of the Board would prefer an alternative with a lower price tag.

With today’s economy, county officials will have to determine if the benefits of the renovation will outweigh the huge cost. It may be possible to find lower-cost …

If you live in a Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco or any major metropolitan area, you’ve probably seen or heard television or radio spots advertising bail bonds companies.  If you turn to the Internet or even to the yellow pages, you’ll also find a number of companies that provide bail bonds throughout California services without needing to put forth much effort.

But just because you’re easily able to find a California bail bondsman, that’s not to say you have any clue as to what it is he or she actually does.
What Happens When Someone Is Arrested
When a person is …

Burbank Jail Is Nearing Completion
The final renovations are being made to the Burbank Police Department, Jail and Fire Headquarters in Burbank, California. This is great news for both the police officers and firefighters of the city. Offenders who are arrested in Burbank will soon be booked at the Burbank Jail again. Currently, Burbank Police Officers have to transport anyone they arrest to the Glendale Jail.

The Burbank facility first opened in 1998. Only two years after it opened, spot repairs became necessary throughout the building. Repairs were constantly needed in the police and jail facility up through 2008. At that …

APPEARING BEFORE THE JUDGE
After an arrest in California if the defendant does not post bail they will need to remain in custody until they are able to appear before a judge.  This is required to happen within three business days.

On the arraignment date, the defendant will be transported from jail to the court wearing jail clothes, typically an orange jumpsuit. Multiple defendants will wait in a cage-like jail cell in the courtroom and each will be called in turn to address the judge. The defendant will have the opportunity to plead guilty or innocent to the charges filed against …

Pop culture has in some senses, warped views of what a bail bondsman does and the exact nature of the job they perform.  Bail bondsmen and bounty hunters are not the same.  Bail bonds companies and the people who work for them assist people in getting out of jail; bounty hunters, on the other hand, help track those people down and return them to custody in the instance they skip town and fail to appear at their assigned court proceedings.
What are bail bonds?
A bail bond is a written promise, entered into with a bail bondsman and signed by …

Inside The Jails
California county jails are filling up quickly with inmates from state prisons. This is in direct response to the Supreme Court ruling which found that the severe overcrowding in those prisons was unacceptable. Los Angeles County jails will likely be the first to run out of space as soon as next month. This potential influx has county officials considering the possibility of releasing thousands of inmates who are awaiting trial.

Under the new "realignment plan", as it is called, criminals who would once have been sent to a California prison to serve their sentences will instead be housed …

With the California jail system being overloaded, many are debating whether or not the current bail system is working.  California's elected officials are facing a $26-billion budget gap and according to Jail Resources, a half a million people nationwide are unable to post bail for the reason being that they just do not have the financial means. However, the bail system is what holds people accountable for showing up to court.
Pretrial Release
Many believe the overcrowded jail problem is a direct result of many cases alike.  Those charged with minor offenses and low bail amounts end up remaining in custody …

Haunting at the Coldspring Old Jail Museum
Once upon a time, in San Jacinto County, Texas, a two-story yellow and pink brick jail was constructed in the town of Coldspring.

Built in 1887 the jail was located just across the street from the county courthouse.  Yet when that courthouse burned to the ground in 1915, it was decided it would be rebuilt at a location four blocks away.  Businesses and townspeople followed, and eventually, the old jail building was all but forgotten.  In 1980, the jail was closed.

Some say that while the Coldspring Jail (now a museum) no longer houses living …

San Mateo Jail - A School For Barristas & Dog Washers?
The new San Mateo County Jail planned for Redwood City, California is going to be in a class all to itself. Where many jails are thought to be nothing more than schools for criminals, giving them more skills in the felonious arts, San Mateo is hoping to create an environment that will engender learning of a different caliber. According to The Examiner, "San Mateo  County’s  proposed new jail was conceived as a school for baristas and  dog washers."

The new jail, expected to open its doors in October 2014, has …

In the late 1990s the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) found itself swirling in scandal. At its epicenter were allegations of illegal and unethical actions by the department’s anti-gang unit, Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH).

By 2001 more than 75 officers had been investigated or charged and over 100 criminal case verdicts were overturned due to perjury and other forms of misconduct.

The arrest and shooting of unarmed teenager Javiar Ovando was one such case. The officer planted a gun on him and alleged he acted in self defense. Ovando was tried and sent to prison but …