HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES-2018-025 Resolution in support of 3DaysCountRES- 2018 -025
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING 3DaysCountTM — A NATIONWIDE EFFORT TO MAKE
COMMUNITIES SAFER AND ENSURE BETTER OUTCOMES FOR ALL BY APPLYING
COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS TO WIDESPREAD PRETRIAL JUSTICE CHALLENGES
WHEREAS, nearly 12 million people are booked into United States jails each year, mostly for
nonviolent misdemeanors; and
WHEREAS, more than 60 percent of people in jail are not convicted — detained before trial largely
because they are too poor to post even small money bond amounts — costing local governments a
nationwide aggregate of nearly $14 billion annually in incarceration expenses; and
WHEREAS, pretrial detention is deeply disruptive to people's lives and can have serious
consequences, from interrupted education and medical treatment to lost jobs, housing, and even
custody of children; and
WHEREAS, the money bail system places a disproportionate and unfair burden on people of color,
who, on average, face higher bail amounts even as they have fewer resources as a result of
chronic, systemic exclusion from economic opportunity; and
WHEREAS, research shows that when people who are most likely to appear in court and stay out
of trouble are detained for even three days, they become more likely to be arrested for new criminal
activity during the pretrial period compared to similar individuals released within just 24 hours; and
WHEREAS, the money bail system allows nearly half of those least likely to succeed on pretrial
release to quickly buy their release from jail with little to no meaningful support or supervision,
without regard for the needs of victims, witnesses, and the broader community; and
WHEREAS, the goals of 3DaysCountTm are to help states reduce unnecessary arrests by
expanding the use of citations or summons, replace money bail with non - financial, least restrictive
conditions, restrict detention to the small number of people for whom no condition or combination of
conditions can reasonably assure appearance in court and public safety, and reduce disparity within
the pretrial justice system; and
WHEREAS, Orange County has already implemented many of the recommendations of the Pretrial
Justice Institute including internalizing the Pretrial Release program in the Criminal Justice
Resource Department, using an evidence -based pretrial risk assessment tool, ensuring the
presence of defense counsel at first appearances, increasing opportunities for pre- arrest diversion,
employing mental health professionals to work directly with individuals incarcerated at our jail to
assess and refer to treatment in the community and continuing to collect data and measure
performance on our efforts;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of Commissioners hereby
endorses the goals of 3DaysCountTM; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Orange County Board of Commissioners strongly urges our
state -level stakeholders and government leaders to apply to join the Pretrial Justice Institute's
3DaysCountTM initiative.
This the 17 th day of April 2018.