Harris County and Jumpstart Reforms

jail: Criminal justice reform advocates say U.S. bail systems unfairly keep low-income defendants — many of whom are minorities arrested for nonviolent crimes — in jail for too long, which not only leads to overcrowding but can affect the outcome of their cases, according to Metro News. In Harris County, the nation third most populous, local officials say they are aware of the problems and recently implemented a $5.3 million plan, including a $2 million grant from the Mac Arthur Foundation, to jumpstart reforms."Low-level, nonviolent offenders should not be rotting in jail waiting for a trial. But Sweeney, an accounting major at Texas Southern University, said he lucky, as others in a similar situation might never have been able to pay."It pretty mentally difficult to fight a misdemeanour from inside of jail," said Sweeney, 27, who described the tough choice many poor defendants face. "I can get out and all I got to do is say, 'I'm guilty,' or I can sit in jail, sacrifice my freedoms and fight a misdemeanour case for the next six months that I can't afford," he said. That just wrong," Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson said. They say previously discussed reforms have never come to fruition and they are now focusing on litigation as the best way to address the problem. However, some advocates are skeptical. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.