California – Beginning in 2011, California will establish a medical parole program for inmates who are comatose and physically incapacitated on a permanent basis. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger passed the bill, SB 1399 by Sen. Mark Leno, into law on September 29, 2010.

In a state of financial crisis, California has been seeking ways to reduce spending with a number of legislation initiatives involving the prison system. Currently, California houses the highest prison population in the United States and spends approximately $11,000 per inmate on healthcare (compared to $2,750 spent per inmate on healthcare in Texas). SB 1399 is projected to save the state approximately $46 million annually.

The medical parole bill exempts any inmate who has been sentenced to death, life without parole or those sentenced under the Three-Strikes-Law. The bill will include a screening process to make sure that public safety is not jeopardized by the early release of inmates. Thus far, California has identified 32 candidates for the program whose average annual healthcare and guard costs total almost 2 million per person.

Says Sen. Mark Leno, “I would rather keep 100 school teachers employed than continue to waste millions of taxpayer dollars on incarcerating 10 severely incapacitated inmates. Across the nation, 36 states, including Texas, have medical parole programs for inmates who are so seriously ill that they could not possibly threaten public safety. Especially given our fiscal crisis, it is time for California to do the same.”

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/29/local/la-me-0929-arnold-bills-20100929

When individuals are arrested, they are usually taken to a local police station where they are likely interviewed, and where necessary reports and forms are prepared. If the individual is arrested for a DUI, a breath, urine, or chemical blood test will be conducted. This process can take up to four hours before the person is brought to a county jail to be booked. A long period of time may pass before the jail system has any notification of a person’s arrest. Therefore, if you call shortly after your friend or loved one is arrested, you may find that they are not yet in the jail system.

Male inmates are booked at either the San Diego Central Jail in Downtown San Diego or the Vista Detention Facility. All female inmates come into the jail system through either the Las Colinas Detention Facility in Santee or the Vista Detention Facility in Vista.

When arrested individuals arrive at the jail facility, they go through the intake process before being housed in the inmate population. This process takes about four to six hours and is comprised of medical screening, the booking process and the classification interview.

Immediately upon arrival at the jail, the inmate is examined for any medical conditions that need immediate treatment. A nurse conducts a private screening to make sure the inmate is not injured or in need of immediate medical treatment. A second medical examination is conducted later in the booking process to ensure all conditions that an inmate may have are properly noted and that the facility is capable of meeting the inmate’s medical needs.

During the booking process all inmates are searched to make sure that no contraband is being brought into the facility. They are photographed and fingerprinted. Their personal information and charges are entered into the computer system, their bail is calculated, and a court date is set.

Some inmates may be eligible for release on their own recognizance very soon after booking. Intoxicated inmates will be held for up to 12 hours, and sometimes longer, to ensure they are sober enough to be safely released. Most inmates are eligible for bail, and they have access to telephones to arrange bail through friends, family, or bail agents. A list of bail agents is available in each facility. All-Pro Bail Bonds is listed as a top bail agency with all contact information present and available. Offices are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and agents are ready to assist you through the process.

http://www.sdsheriff.net/jailinfo/booking.html

Sonoma County, California – As the holidays move into full swing, Sonoma County police are executing a DUI enforcement task force operation known as “Avoid the 13.”

“Avoid the 13” is a collaborative enforcement and education effort made between 13 police departments throughout Sonoma County. The goal: Reduce alcohol-involved fatalities and injuries while raising public awareness of the hazards involved with drinking and driving. Participating law enforcement agencies include police departments from the cities of Cloverdale, Cotati, Healdsburg, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Sonoma and Windsor; the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department; Sonoma State University Police Department and the Santa Rosa Junior College Police Department; and the California Highway Patrol.

This holiday season, the “Avoid the 13” efforts will begin starting Monday, December 17 and run through Monday, January 3. Efforts to eliminate drinking and driving will consist of increased DUI checkpoints plus two extra police officers on duty specifically to enforce DUI-related crimes.

If you’re out celebrating, be sure to appoint a designated driver and travel safely. Have a safe and wonderful holiday season from All-Pro!

http://www.sonomanews.com/news/article_43e987f8-0ca5-11e0-8c15-001cc4c03286.html

Sacramento, California – The penalty for possession of an ounce or less of marijuana will be downgraded from a misdemeanor to an infraction effective January 1, 2011. Violations will not go on the person’s records as a crime; however, offenders will still be required to pay a fine of $100 with no jail time.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the new measure, SB 1449 by Sen. Mark Leno, into law earlier this year in October. Supporters of the new legislation claim that the change will prevent marijuana-related cases from clogging court trials and wasting valuable resources by prosecuting minor offenses.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said, “I am signing this measure because possession of less than an ounce of marijuana is an infraction in everything but name. In this time of drastic budget cuts, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement and the courts can not afford to expend limited resources prosecuting a crime that carries the same punishment as a traffic ticket.”

Opponents of the new law critique that the penalty relaxation sends the wrong message to society by eliminating the public stigma of the drug.

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/02/local/la-me-marijuana-20101002