Florida Senator Jeff Brandes (R) is blunt, if not completely honest with his assertion that two of his senate bills (SB 1392 and SB 1218) could cripple the bail bondsmen business.
Senator Brandes recently stated that” they (bail bondsmen) are in the business of writing bonds, and their business will go down if more people get diverted to civil citations.”
Brandes’ bills appear to be nothing less than the equivalent to the now-debunked and controversial “catch and release” immigration policy of the early 2000’s. Much like federal agents did with illegal immigrants, the current senate bills would allow police to simply write criminals a citation, as opposed to arresting them for the offenses they allegedly committed.
Many of these misdemeanor offense arrests would leave a footprint for law enforcement to follow, but if there are no arrests made and only citations given, those arrests would not show up in a criminal background check.
According to the bill, misdemeanors would be reclassified as civil infractions rather than crimes. In other words, individuals who commit crimes like prostitution, simple battery, indecent exposure, reckless driving, vandalism, lewdness, and DUI/drunk driving, would only receive a simple citation instead of being arrested and having to post a bond.-(Source)
With that said, would many potential violent criminals fall through the cracks if they are only slapped with citations and not arrested on charges that could show a pattern of violence?
Probably.
Take for example the Nikolas Cruz, the 19-year-old that shot and killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School in Parkland, Florida. Cruz committed a couple of arrest able offenses that would have prevented him from legally purchasing the weapon he used to commit the mass shooting.
Cruz got a pass because he was a minor, but even if he was a minor, the acts of violent aggression and the illegal possession of ammunition in a “gun free zone,” warranted an arrest.
The Broward Sheriff's office, which is now being investigated by the FDLE, put forth
Brandes’ bill should pass in the senate, but all bets are off in Speaker Corcoran’s House chamber.
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Any laws or programs that reduce crime and cost with no public safety issues is good for citizens.
Compelling testimony, using facts, was provided to legislators by an Iraq military veteran, who is now attending Stetson Law School, to exclude any violent or sexual offenses from "prearrest diversion" programs. Unfortunately, legislators would not amend the bill to remove violent or sexual offenses. If this bill passes, a person who committed a violent or sexual offense and completed a prearrest program, will pass a background check when purchasing a weapon since there is no arrest. Prearrest may be good policy (time will tell) for first time, minor, non-violent offenses. Is a violent or sexual act good policy?
Why would legislators (some who agreed the bill has flaws) still move forward without amending this bill?
Where is the cost reduction?
Why does Brandes care more about the people breaking the laws then the people he swore to protect? Why is he in such a rush to push this misguided legislation through without listening to public comment? When a decorated Iraq Veteran stands up and reads off the names and "VIOLENT" offenses of people who have been released through these catch and release programs don't you think Brandes would listen? Why not? Open your eyes Floridians. You have no idea what this legislation is opening the door to. From New Jersey to California, the bail reform movement has had negative impact after negative impact on public safety in local communities. Just this week, two brothers were released for FREE without a bail bond on child pornography charges...and we aren't talking a couple pics on a computer...we are talking Terabytes. These guys just walked out on a promise to appear in court. How do you think that will end up? How safe would you feel knowing that these guys were loose in your neighborhood with no supervision. WAKE UP Floridians. Criminals and people that break the law are not victims. It is time to stop promoting soft on crime, criminal get out of jail free programs the leave the rest of us in harm's way. Hopefully the House will have the courage and wisdom to kill the unsafe legislation.
The big facts that all these politicians leave out is that the bail bond business and it is a business is an integral and taxpayer free service to the public
To release people committing crimes on civil infractions is pure crazy. There is no deterrent or repercussions for committing crime. This bill will place the public in serious jeopardy. This needs to be stopped.