Releases from the Orange County, Fl. Jail

We've mentioned that defendants are being released from the Orange County Jail using your tax dollars that are charged with serious offenses such as possession of drugs, controlled substances, possession/carrying concealed weapons, battery, DUI, lewd/lascivious behavior, burglary, theft, forgery neglect of a child and numerous driving offenses, many of them habitual offenses. These defendants never see a Judge!

Well defendants with identification holds or undisclosed holds are also being approved for release under the Pretrial Release program. Pretrial Services staff cannot begin to investigate a defendant's criminal history, social/economic ties, residency etc. if they don't even know who they are dealing with! Also people who are homeless have been released using your tax dollars.

The private surety bail industry is willing and more effectively successful at supervising such defendants using no tax dollars from you! Why is your county government competing with private enterprise?