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Jail is sentences of one year or less or people awaiting a trial and is run by the county.
Prison is over 1 year and is run by the state or federal government.
That means that the "serious felonies" folks are there awaiting trial and will either move on to prison or go home (i.e. not guilty). Folks on "minor misdemeanors" like Paris are in jail for the length of their sentence.
That's how it is in most jurisdictions. Not in LA County. Misdemeanor offenders are released frequently immediately. It's rare to see any in jail serving more than 10% of their sentence. In fact the Sheriff Baca of LA County said just that on Fox News. Remember Michelle Rodriguez? She was sentenced to 60 days for her probation violation and served only 4 hours due to the jail being over crowded.
Until very recently, anyone sentenced to serve 90 days or less in the LA County jail was released the exact same day, serving only hours of their sentence. They were released so rapidly most were never in processed to an actual jail housing unit. The policy has been revised and inmates now sentenced to 90 days or less only serve 10% of their jail sentence. In fact, last year alone over 200,000 misdemeanor inmates sentenced to 90 days or less were released almost immediately.
As far as the serious felonies, they are there awaiting trial or waiting for motions in relation to their trials. I was a corrections officer here in Omaha. We right now have felons in the County Jail that have been there for over three years because there trial still hasn't occurred. They do have a right to a speedy trial but every time they or their lawyers file a motion the clock stops until the judge rules on that motion. Then another one is filed and another one. It's a waiting game.
LA has so many violent felons they just don't have the space for the minor low level criminals in jail.
What I find interesting is that Paris Hilton was interviewed on the red carpet of the MTV Movie Awards this past Sunday night, telling the interviewer that she was offered a "pay jail" (she could pay money to serve her sentence in a more upscale, cleaner, safer institution), but she turned it down in order to serve her time in LA County Jail. She continued to tell the interviewer that she made that choice, due to the media portraying her as "something she's not" (ie priveledged spoiled brat). She said that she wanted to prove that she could serve her sentence properly in the county jail, and that she didn't want any special treatment. By the way, she was dressed up in designer clothes, looking perfectly healthy and happy on the red carpet during that interview, prior to reporting to jail.
Then, after a couple days in jail, she suddenly developed some mysterious illness that she felt should allow her to leave the jail facility. Apparently, her "illness" involves a lot of crying and shaking. Well, duh...I imagine many people who go to jail exhibit crying and shaking. I know I would. Jail sucks. It's no fun. That's the point. Being sad and scared and bored aren't adequate reasons to be released from jail.
Her histrionics caused her lawyer, her psychologist, and the sheriff to agree that she should be released from the jail facility, in order to serve the rest of her sentence at her mansion in West Hollywood. On top of that, when the judge ordered her back to jail this afternoon, she cried and whined and screamed that "It's not right!" and had to literally be dragged from the courtroom by a police officer.
What happened to her wanting to set a good example for young people, and serve her sentence properly, as she indicated that she wanted to do in her interview just a few days ago? Was that answer during her interview just for show? Was she under the impression that she'd be released after just a few days in jail, so she felt it was safe to claim that she wanted to serve her time properly, but now that she isn't being released right away, she's changing her story?
She claimed that she wanted to set a good example and do the right thing, but now that she isn't getting off as easily as she originally thought she might, she's saying that it's unfair for her to have to serve her time in jail. I find it all very hypocritical.
If you'd like to view a video of the interview I referenced in this post:
Yes, she was originally picked up for DUI and then was caught TWICE for driving without a license. She wasn't exactly trying to abide by the laws. And the ironic thing is~she's so rich that she could've had a chauffeur drive her around. Think of the poor people who have to ride their bicycle or walk or take a taxi when they're in the same predicament. IMHO~she got exactly what she deserved.
~she's so rich that she could've had a chauffeur drive her around
That was EXACTLY what I was thinking!!!!!!!!! Hello, use your brain - you are rich enough to have someone take you anywhere you want at any time of the day or night! IDIOT!
That was EXACTLY what I was thinking!!!!!!!!! Hello, use your brain - you are rich enough to have someone take you anywhere you want at any time of the day or night! IDIOT!
You are so right. All of them could afford drivers. Hilton, Lowen, and Richie are all wealthy and all have had DUI's. One right after the other. You would think they would have learned from each others mistakes. I bet she gets one now.
And the ironic thing is~she's so rich that she could've had a chauffeur drive her around..
How many of us have gone out, gotten drunk, and then plunked down the $30 or so to get a cab to take us home? Probably about half of them (and the other half would be willing to, but just hasn't been in that situation).
I think the really ironic thing is that she probably already has a chauffeur on staff... she just chose not to give them a call.
I voted yes: I'm tired of these celebrities thinking they are above and beyond the law.
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No way!!!
