SHERIFF RELEASES 49 MORE SUSPECTS

Sheriff Lee Baca on Monday freed 49 misdemeanor suspects being held on less
than $25,000 bail under a new policy that is expected to let hundreds more
avoid incarceration in the coming days to save money on jail costs.

The move came after the release last month of more than 2,300 inmates who
had served at least 70 percent of their sentences for misdemeanor convictions.

Under Baca's new policy, suspects arrested on misdemeanors with bail of
$25,000 or less will be issued citations and will not be booked into jail.

Sheriff's Capt. Ray Leyva said authorities initially expected to release
146 inmates but identified only 49 who met the criteria.

After promising to appear in court, the inmates were released on charges of
nonviolent misdemeanors, such as drug possession, being under the influence
of drugs, public drunkenness, vandalism, trespassing, driving with a
suspended license and some other vehicle code violations. He said most
would have quickly bailed out if they had the money.

"It's our belief that, given the crimes they are in custody for, we would
only hope that they would not become a problem for the community they are
going back to," Leyva said.

Inmates will not be released if they are being held for state prison or
mental health authorities or if they are suspected of committing a sex
crime, violating a domestic-violence restraining order, drunken driving or
failing to appear in court after a previous arrest.

Of those convicted of misdemeanors and released last month, so far none has
been arrested again in connection with a serious crime, sheriff's officials
said.

County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich said some of those inmates had
plea-bargained serious felonies down to misdemeanors and are dangerous people.

"If you are releasing known felons who have had plea bargains to reduce
their sentences in jail, then you have walking time-bombs prowling our
streets," Antonovich said.

Last week, the supervisors approved sweeping budget cuts of $228 million
countywide -- the most ever -- including $62 million in the Sheriff's
Department.

Sheriff's officials say they needed to release the inmates so the
department could shut down the Century Regional Detention Center in Lynwood
and the Biscailuz Recovery Center, saving the department $18 million to $20
million a year.

A county Grand Jury report, released Friday, found the Biscailuz drug
rehabilitation program costs an average of $105 a day per inmate, double
the cost at other county jail facilities, and recommended the department
closely track the expenses.

Sheriff's officials said the releases were necessitated by a steady
increase in the county's inmate population, which had grown to a high of
21,000. As of Monday, the jail population stood at 19,953.

Baca has said jail costs have increased for a variety of reasons, including
more inmates entering the system than being released or awaiting
transportation to a state prison or mental hospital, higher bails and
longer jail sentences. Sentences increased from an average of 40 days in
January to 45 days in May, he said.

Also, Baca said in writing, Proposition 36, the drug rehabilitation measure
approved by voters a year ago with the goal of reducing the number in
custody, has actually increased the jail population.

Before Proposition 36 took effect, inmates were often released and placed
on probation at the time of their arraignment on a minor drug-possession
charge. But now more inmates are being remanded to custody until they are
released to a drug program. The average transfer time is eight days.