Inmates released early

By Dan MacArthur
Correspondent

While the April opening of a new community corrections facility has taken some pressure off the Larimer County Detention Center, jail overcrowding has led to the first early release of prisoners.

The early release program is triggered when the detention center exceeds its 483-inmate capacity. According to the sheriff's office, 13 prisoners were released on May 21 when the jail population reached 508 inmates. Sheriff's officials said the prisoners were released on a Friday in anticipation of the predictable weekend rise in arrests.

"We have neither the staff nor the space to accommodate the ever-increasing inmate population," Sheriff Jim Alderden said.

When the jail exceeds its capacity, inmates convicted of nonviolent crimes who have served at least three-quarters of their sentences become eligible for early release. The sheriff's office confers with the judges who imposed the sentences prior to the releases to determine whether they have any objections.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Eloise Campanella said those released were serving sentences for infractions that included burglary, theft, drunk driving, driving under revocation, marijuana possession and obstructing a peace officer.

"On a positive note," Alderden added, "with the additional staff approved for the alternative sentencing unit, we were able to reduce that backlog of the waiting list to 300 inmates from 450."

Meanwhile, criminal justice system officials and a countywide citizens advisory committee are examining ways of streamlining the system to relieve overcrowding and delay the need for further jail expansion. Larimer County Manager Frank Lancaster said such efforts are crucial, as there is unlikely to be any jail expansion proposal put before voters until 2005 at the earliest.

Both groups are concentrating on a pilot program beginning soon to divert prisoners awaiting trial. Pretrial prisoners constitute about half the jail population. Many remain jailed because they cannot find someone willing to co-sign a personal recognizance bond, or they cannot afford to post bond.

The co-signer of a personal recognizance bond pays no money but assumes responsibility for assuring that the defendant makes court appearances. A bail bondsman assumes an identical responsibility but charges a 10 to 15 percent fee for posting the bond. Both risk losing the amount of the bond if the defendant fails to appear.

The experimental program will direct more intensive effort toward assisting a select few defendants to bond out of jail sooner. If successful, it will support a proposal to dramatically expand the pretrial program predicted to result in substantial savings by freeing up detention center beds.