Full Notification

<p>HARRIS COUNTY, TX &ndash; On Wednesday, Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman issued the following statement following a joint hearing of the Texas House Committees on Criminal Jurisprudence and County Affairs:</p>

<p>&ldquo;I am sincerely grateful to our state legislators in the House Committees on Criminal Jurisprudence and County Affairs for holding a hearing today to address the bail system in the State of Texas.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Locally, I have been encouraged by the progressive steps that are being taken to reform the Harris County criminal justice system. The Harris County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council along with their partners at the MacArthur Foundation and the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, have identified areas of potential for reforming bonding practices and pretrial risk assessments.&nbsp;<br />
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&ldquo;I agree with many of our legislators, and those who testified today, that the time is now to reform the system of incarceration in Harris County and the State of Texas.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;The Sheriff&rsquo;s Office and the Harris County jail is ultimately required to house defendants who are denied or are unable to make payment on bonds set by the Harris County Criminal Courts. As Sheriff I am mandated to comply with the Courts&rsquo; orders to confine defendants until their bond is met.<br />
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&ldquo;As a result, a defendant with a low level non-violent charge who cannot afford bond can be remanded to our custody, while a violent offender with the means to pay their bond can be released into the community.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;An inaccessible bonding system drives up jail population, and costs local taxpayers millions of dollars.<br />
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&ldquo;I am hopeful that the Courts in working with the Coordinating Council, foundations, and community leaders, will identify and respond to opportunities for permanent reform in short order.&rdquo;</p>