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Judge says there could be more pretrial releases for defendants Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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MICHAEL MAHONEY HAS MORE. MICHAEL ACCORDING TO A RECENT : REPORT, 4 OUT OF 5 PEOPLE IN THE JACKSON COUNTY JAIL, ARE WAITING FOR THEIR TRIALS. THEY ARE NOT CONVICTED. I THINK THAT IS CHANGING. >> I THINK WE WILL SEE MORE PEOPLE RELEASED PRETRIAL FROM THE JACKSON COUNTY DETENTION CENTER. MICHAEL: A NEW RULING FROM THE STATE SUPREME COURT SAYS JUDGES ARE SUPPOSED TO LEAN TOWARD PRE-TRIAL RELEASE, WITHOUT BOND, IN MOST CASES. BYRN TOLD COUNTY LEGISLATORS WHEN DEFENDANTS ARE OUT THERE SHOULD BE MORE DRUG AND MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR THEM. THAT’S OFTEN THE REASON THEY GOT INTO TROUBLE. NOW THERE IS IN-CUSTODY TREATMENT HELP AVALABLE, >> FOR THAT 90% OR SO THAT NEED MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT -- TREATMENT, PROVIDING IT IN A JAIL OR PRISON SETTING IS NOT THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO IT. MICHAEL: OFTEN, SUSTAINED TREATMENT OR A LACK OF FOLLOWING UP, ARE PROBLEMS. BYRN IS RECCOMENDING MORE OUT-OF-JAIL TREATMENT. A SMALLER JAIL POPULATION COULD EASE THE EVER PRESENT STRESS ON THE CROWDED COUNTY JAIL. AND IF THE COUNTY BUILDS A NEW ONE, BYRN SAYS IT SHOULD INCLUDE A PRE-DENTENTION TREATMENT CAMPUS. >> NOT ONLY WILL THE GOALS OF PUBLIC SAFETY BE MET, BUT RECIDIVISM WILL DROP, THAT IS, WE’LL GET PEOPLE THE HELP THEY NEED. MICHAEL: AS THE PRESIDING JUDGE IN JACKSON COUNTY TALKS ABOUT THE TREND OF MORE PRE-TRIAL