Proposed law could increase bondsman revenue

LEE COUNTY: A program that could save you money and cut overcrowding in jails is in jeopardy. The program is called Pretrial Release. It allows non-violent offenders to stay out of jail while waiting for their court dates. And one group stands to gain greatly if the program goes away.

Each inmate processed, finger-printed, and fed at Lee County's Detention Center costs taxpayers $82 a day. That's nearly $5-million a month to care for about 2,000 inmates.           

Court administrators say a program called Pretrial Release prevents that cost from increasing.

"It does have that great benefit to it. If you're finding people who are safe to be out of the jail, who meet the criteria set forth, it works out very well in terms of saving money," says Sheila Mann, spokeswoman with the 20th Judicial Circuit.

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Austrailian Judge Rules Out Bail Despite Full Prisons

A remand centre prisoner's bid to be released on bail because of record overcrowding in Canberra's detention system failed in the Supreme Court yesterday.

Chris Merritt, who is facing charges that include assault and property damage, had applied to the court for bail, arguing he could not be held humanely in the ACT's overflowing system.

He also argued that Corrections authorities could not provide adequate medical treatment for an injury to his hand.

The system has been under increasing pressure since the ACT's new jail, the $123million Alexander Maconochie Centre in Hume, failed to open on time last week, throwing into chaos plans to transfer detainees from Belconnen and Symonston remand centres, and sentenced prisoners from NSW.

Glitches with the new jail's electronic security system have forced the opening to be delayed at least until January and security contractor Chubb is paying the ACT Government $44,000 a day in compensation.

Merritt had argued through his lawyers that the system was not providing him with adequate treatment for a broken hand which he suffered in an altercation with another detainee.