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(USGovernment-News.Com, May 11, 2013 ) San Francisco, CA -- The latest report from the Drug Policy Alliance, which took it upon itself to analyze the population of New Jersey Jail populations, stated that 40% of all inmates within county jails remain under incarceration for no other reason than an incapability to post bail. Corrections officials within the Gloucester and Cumberland counties all reacted with differing opinions on the study.
The new report has found that the bail system appears to keep an unfortunately large number of low-risk offenders incarcerated. Each individual has to be paid for by taxpayers during their stay in the respective jail.
The Drug Policy Alliance, which is an advocacy group for drug law reform, has planned to push for extensive law-alterations to allow the release of low-risk individuals being held for non-violent offenses. The group insists that these individuals need not be held over in the system, according ot the group.
“I agree that there are too many minimum-security inmates incarcerated due to drug addiction and mental illness,” said Steve Newsom, a lieutenant with the Gloucester County Department of Correctional Services who oversees 30 officers and up to 325 inmates each day. “At what point are we going to be our brother’s keeper and rehabilitate the individuals? If we put the money that is spent incarcerating them into rehabilitating them, the world would be a better place.”
Newsom claimed that he was not aware of the new bail system's cost, and would not make an official statement regarding policies suggested in the report. He noted that he agreed with the overall philosophy as it pertained to inmates with addiction or mental illnesses.
Warden Robert Balicki stated that as far he is concerned, there are some worrisome cost probabilities when it comes to the new system.
“It sounds to me to be a very expensive undertaking to do risk assessments on every person who is eligible for bail. The companies providing bail bonds already do this in order to determine who gets their services. Where would the money come from to have government employees do it and how much would that bog down the system?” he said.
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