Los Angeles County Initiates ‘Decarceration’ Effort to Swap Jail Time for a Slap on the Wrist

A proposal to “decarcerate” jails by issuing citations and releasing anyone with a bond of $50,000 or less is being considered by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Fox News has learned that the “The Los Angeles County to Take Actionable Next Steps to Depopulate and Decarcerate the Los Angeles County Jails” agenda item has been added to Tuesday’s board meeting.

The proposal would “Declare the State of mental health services and overcrowding in the Los Angeles County jails a humanitarian crisis, requiring the County to move with all deliberate speed on meaningful solutions; and prioritize decreasing the number of individuals entering the Los Angeles County Jails.”

If passed, the local sheriff would be instructed to review its bail thresholds and to cite and release “individuals with aggregate bail amounts set at $50,000 or below.”

The Los Angeles Superior Court would be directed to “implement the Emergency Bail Schedule that was in place at the height of the COVID pandemic” to “prioritize increased opportunities for pre-trial release.”

The agenda item was denounced as “dangerous” by the Los Angeles Association of Deputy District Attorneys vice president, Eric Siddall.

“The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors’ (BOS) motion to gut parts of the criminal justice system without input from stakeholders is dangerous and recklessness,” said Siddall.  “The authors sought no advice from those who know and understand public safety issues.  They seek to lower the jail population without addressing the root causes of crime or protecting the public.”

The proposal would include citations and releases for firearms possession arrests, domestic violence cases, possession of child pornography, residential burglaries, robberies, and firearm assaults.

On Thursday, Los Angeles activists demonstrated in front of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to demand the closing of the Men’s Central Prison.

“This catch-and-release program comes without any plan or infrastructure to protect the community from violent criminals apprehended by law enforcement.  Further, it creates no lockdown facilities for the mentally ill.  This program benefits no one except career criminals.  We need to make sure the most dangerous offenders don’t get out, that first-time offenders don’t come back, and that those with serious mental illnesses get appropriate care and help.  This does none of that,” Siddall said.