Item 30 Bail reform resolution
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2020 2:04 pm
Afternoon colleagues,
Item 30 addresses the problem of wealth-based detention in our local criminal legal system. It is entirely within the policy purview of our council to have, at a minimum, a say in what is included in the magistration ILA negotiation/discussion. This resolution builds on the work done by both the county and the city as we do all that we can to minimize wealth-based detention of Austinites. In furtherance of the City’s values of promoting equity and eliminating racial and income-based disparities in our criminal legal system, the resolution encourages procedural safeguards during the magistration process that will protect due process and equal protection right of individuals arrested in Austin and strives to ensure that no one remains in jail pretrial solely because of their lack of income. We should all be able to agree that pretrial detention, which can have devastating societal and financial consequences for individuals, must be used as infrequently as possible.
The updated item 30 should be posted by 3 pm today according to or Agenda Office staff. It includes most of the suggested edits by our law department. My office has been working closely with our co-sponsors (all of the Judicial Committee) our law department, our municipal court, and advocates for the past few months in the development of this resolution. I have also been in communication with county stakeholders and have incorporated edits in recognition of their work.
All my best,
Delia
Item 30 addresses the problem of wealth-based detention in our local criminal legal system. It is entirely within the policy purview of our council to have, at a minimum, a say in what is included in the magistration ILA negotiation/discussion. This resolution builds on the work done by both the county and the city as we do all that we can to minimize wealth-based detention of Austinites. In furtherance of the City’s values of promoting equity and eliminating racial and income-based disparities in our criminal legal system, the resolution encourages procedural safeguards during the magistration process that will protect due process and equal protection right of individuals arrested in Austin and strives to ensure that no one remains in jail pretrial solely because of their lack of income. We should all be able to agree that pretrial detention, which can have devastating societal and financial consequences for individuals, must be used as infrequently as possible.
The updated item 30 should be posted by 3 pm today according to or Agenda Office staff. It includes most of the suggested edits by our law department. My office has been working closely with our co-sponsors (all of the Judicial Committee) our law department, our municipal court, and advocates for the past few months in the development of this resolution. I have also been in communication with county stakeholders and have incorporated edits in recognition of their work.
All my best,
Delia