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New Rule: Nobody making arrests for overdue library books gets to complain about jail overcrowding

In Wichita Falls, economic distress is boosting incarceration rates in the local jail because so many more petty defendants can't afford to post bond. According to the W-F Times-Record News ("Room scarce at jail," July 22)The number of people coming into the jail every day essentially hasn?t changed, [Chief Deputy Derek] Meador said. What does seem to be different now, he and Sheriff David Duke said, is that in many cases, people are coming in and staying for longer periods. People arrested for offenses such as unreturned library materials tend to post bond quickly and then leave. ?The persons who don?t fit in that group are staying longer,? Meador said. Some might take 10-12 days to gather the funds necessary to post bond when it might have taken a day or two before...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on July 22, 2009 (boomark / email).