Criminals on the Streets: A Citizen's Right to Know - New Publication Now Available from ALEC
WASHINGTON-(Business Wire)-February 11, 2009 - Every day in America, fifteen people are murdered by criminals who have been released from jail at the taxpayer's expense. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the nation's largest membership organization for state legislators, has released its newest State Factor entitled Criminals on the Streets: A Citizen's Right to Know. This study explains the increased cost and crime associated with government-run pretrial release services and the need to make these services accountable and transparent to the public.
“In a time of economic downturn and state spending deficits, it is even more important for the citizens to know if their tax dollars are being used to release dangerous fugitives from jail, who after being released commit new crimes and are not held accountable,” said Rep. Bill Ruppel of Indiana, ALEC's Bail Bond Subcommittee Chairman.
Unfortunately, many government-run bail operations keep their costs hidden from taxpayers and are not held accountable for their results.
ALEC proposes a solution to this in its model bill, The Citizen's Right to Know Act, which makes pretrial release programs reveal important information such as budgets, records on defendant's releases, types of bonds, and failures to appear; as well as recidivism rates. This would create more transparency and accountability, in turn, producing a more efficient and effective system ultimately serving to further protect and defend the public's safety as well as their wallets. This legislation has been adopted in Texas and Florida.
The government-run pretrial system relies on funding from taxpayers. In contrast, private commercial bail places no burden. In fact, it makes states money because bail bond agents pay cash forfeitures to the state when a defendant absconds. According to recent studies, commercial bail also proves to be a safer alternative than government pretrial release. Defendants released by the commercial bail industry are less likely to commit new crimes.
The American Legislative Exchange Council is the nation's largest individual membership organization of state legislators, dedicated to advancing the Jeffersonian principles of free markets, limited government, federalism, and individual liberty
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