Signature bonds in the ATL

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Well, over a thousand people have been released on signature bonds for drug charges, including heroin, meth and cocaine. And many hundreds more on charges like intent to distribute, theft, shoplifting, burglary, entering automobile, terroristic threats, criminal trespass, firearm offenses, identity fraud, criminal damage to property, etc.

So it's not just violent folks who are being released.

Oh...I was going by the list you posted earlier. If it makes you feel any better, this isn't something that's being done all over the state. Pretty sure most counties/cities are still locking up poor people who can't afford bail and of course pretending as if white collar crime isn't an issue.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by DreamerD

Oh...I was going by the list you posted earlier. If it makes you feel any better, this isn't something that's being done all over the state. Pretty sure most counties/cities are still locking up poor people who can't afford bail and of course pretending as if white collar crime isn't an issue.

Why that would make anyone feel better?

As I said in the OP, most of us agree that keeping people in jail because of their poverty is not a good thing. As I also said earlier, signature bonds for nonviolent drug or DUI charges make sense. It's stupid to arrest people for minor pot offenses where no one is harmed.

However, I'm less enthusiastic about releasing folks arrested for things like family violence, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, cruelty to children, rape, and robbery on their signature alone. If you can do those things and then simply sign your name and say "I'm outta here," the system seems pretty porous.

Your argument about white collar crime is a good one but it doesn't mean we should release violent people on the basis of their signature.