Will Bonds be set by computer programs?

  I was leaving a great night with law enforcement officers, spouses, and supporters for the Thin Blue Line Ball held at the Rock Creek in McKinney on Sat. May 29th. On the way home I get a phone call from Honolulu. 

  Dog the Bounty Hunter wants to talk to me. We share some common ground. I'm from the Dumas area and Dog is from Pampa. We have some other connectivity that kept the conversation going into the night.

  The reason for the call was to alert me to a bill which passed a Senate sub committee (S.B.1338) and (H.B. 3011) and goes to the floor this week. This is a bill that can be traced back to Soros/Holder connected legislation designed to reduce jail occupancy by allowing more accused to be released.

   I am doing my research. Today I talked to sheriffs, constables, JP's, police chiefs, and legislators. I have no opinions. Well, not exactly. 

  What about letting a computer program determine qualifications for Personal Recognizance bonds?

  The following is worthy analysis, then I ask for smarter people than me to chip in opinions.

jbblocker

Issues and Concerns regarding SB 1338 and HB 3011 Substitutes—Updated 4/20/17

These bills create a costly and unnecessary bureaucracy that would result in many unintended negative consequences. This seems especially problematic given that current law already provides Judges the ability to utilize PR and Pretrial Release options for those that cannot afford bail.

The proposed legislation is an Unfunded Mandate to Counties.  Cost of implementing the mandatory Automated Risk Assessment Tool and related costs to each county will vary but for reference: 2015 pretrial budget for Travis County was 5. 5 million; Tarrant County was 1.1 million; and Harris County was 7.2 million.  

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Texas Senate Bill 1338 Is it a good thing?

The Texas Senate is considering a bill to allow an increase of PR Bonds to those who can't afford a bond. There is of course much more to the ramification. It will affect the smaller counties differently than the big boys.
I have my opinions, but they don't count. Smarter people than I need to fill in the blanks.

	By: Whitmire	S.B. No. 1338
	(In the Senate - Filed March 6, 2017; March 14, 2017, read
	first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice;
	April 24, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
	Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; April 24, 2017,
	sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1338	By:  Whitmire

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to bail and to judicial education regarding bail
	practices.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Chapter 17, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
	amended by adding Articles 17.027, 17.028, 17.029, and 17.034 to
	read as follows:
	Art. 17.027.  PRETRIAL RISK ASSESSMENT. (a)  The judges of
	the county courts, statutory county courts, and district courts
	trying criminal cases in each county shall adopt an instrument to be
	used in conducting a pretrial risk assessment of a defendant
	charged with an offense in that county. The instrument adopted must
	be the automated pretrial risk assessment system developed under
	Section 72.032, Government Code, or another instrument that is:
	(1)  objective, validated for its intended use, and
	standardized; and
	(2)  based on an analysis of empirical data and risk
	factors relevant to:
	(A)  the risk of a defendant failing to appear in
	court as required; and
	(B)  the safety of the community or the victim of
	the alleged offense if the defendant is released.
	(b)  A magistrate considering the release on bail of a
	defendant charged with an offense punishable as a Class B
	misdemeanor or any higher category of offense shall order that: