Recent bail reform laws may be causing overcrowding in jails
Due to being extremely overcrowded in recent months, the Pinellas County jail deputies have run out of regular beds and instead, have been providing hundreds of mattresses held a few inches from the ground by plastic frames.
Recent bail reform laws were blamed for the crowding by Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, who has observed the jail population steadily climbing since January after the bill went into effect.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office also said its jail population has increased since January and Pasco County acknowledged its jail was over capacity.
Touted by lawmakers as a way to make bail procedure uniform across the state, House Bill 1627 was also designed to limit violent criminals from being released before seeing a judge.
Passed in 2023, the law required the Florida Supreme Court to create statewide uniform bond recommendations.
Under the law, judges can increase the amount of bail beyond what the Supreme Court recommends. But to reduce it, a jurisdiction would have to petition for the court’s approval.
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