LOS ANGELES (KNX) – Los Angeles County’s zero-bail policy was reinstated on Wednesday.
Under the policy, those who commit a lower-level crime, such as vandalism or theft, will not have to sit in jail while waiting for their arraignment. Instead, they will be cited and released immediately.
"This ruling will impact only pre-arraigned arrestees and applies solely to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD)," LASD said in a press release. "The 45 independent city agencies within the county may continue to hold their inmates from arrest through arraignment."
Earlier this month, Los Angeles Superior Court judge Lawrence Riff ruled in the Urquidi vs. Los Angeles lawsuit that holding someone who can’t afford to pay their bail violates that person’s constitutional right.
Those who agree with the judge said it is only fair, while critics believe it could lead to more criminals committing more crimes.
Former L.A. County District Attorney Steve Cooley said he could see this policy leading to more crimes.
“I think what’s gonna happen is this decision will result in scores, hundreds, thousands of individuals just not appearing in court,” he said. “They’ll have no incentive to appear in court.”
Steve Meister, a criminal defense attorney, told KNX News he sees both sides of the argument.
“There's a civil rights issue and an equal treatment issue and they're absolutely a public safety issue,” he said. “Everyone is right.”
The policy was originally put in place in 2020 to slow down the overcrowding of jails during the COVID-19 pandemic. It expired July 1, 2022.
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