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Hundreds of individuals accused of violent crimes were reportedly freed on their own recognizance in Spokane County, Washington, as officials are trying to crack down on criminal activity.
The Spokesman-Review on Sunday detailed cases in which three men were among numerous others accused of such crimes, noting they were freed from jail once they promised to reappear in court.
Our legal system has not only been weaponized to defeat political opponents---it is also collapsing, causing crime rates to soar because so-called "progressive" notions always fail---They miserably fail.
Be informed, not misled.
Records obtained by The Spokesman-Review show that people accused of violent crimes such as rape, molesting children, making death threats, assaults, and vehicular homicide were set free on their own recognizance. This has happened 665 times in Spokane County from Jan. 1, 2021, to Sept. 30.
Washington law says everyone arrested and accused of a crime is presumed innocent and subject to release – but judges have to consider the scope of what’s in the law. That consideration is subjective and up to the discretion of the individual judge.
Progressivism is not progressive.
In July, KREM TV reported that the crime rate in Washington state has grown with one of the biggest being property crime.
"Crime rates in Washington state saw an alarming increase, encompassing various crime categories, as reported by Washington's Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. The numbers have left Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels unsurprised, pointing to policy changes as a key factor behind the surge in reported crimes."
Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels cited two policy changes when speaking of the issue, the outlet stated:
Firstly, a reduction in the state’s prison population has resulted in many repeat felons spending less than a year in jail, and some never make it to prison. Sheriff Nowels expressed concern over this development, saying, “We now have a jail where literally every time we book somebody in, somebody has to come out the other side. Full on, 14 percent of the people we book never see the inside of a jail cell. They’re released before they ever spend a day in jail.”
Secondly, the state legislature has lowered minimum sentences for many crimes, leading to increased leniency in sentencing. As a result, people with multiple repeat felonies are facing reduced consequences.
It is important to note that one-third of Seattle residents considered leaving the area to move somewhere else, one reason being the crime plaguing the area, according to a Seattle Times/Suffolk University poll.
A video report from April shows how law enforcement officers in downtown Spokane were trying to address the crime issue:
Is there a solution?
After hearing about the jail-release data, City Council President Lori Kinnear noted, “It’s not just a Spokane problem.”
That's true. Every state that has so-called progressive leadership is struggling with the same issues.
There are states that choose conservative leadership who are not experiencing those difficulties. At least to the degree that the blue states are.
For those living in Spokane, a 30-minute drive east on I-90 could shed some light on the problems.
Idaho generally approaches social issues from a conservative point of view. Washington does not.
Kinnear said when judges make a ruling, they’re following the guidelines the state sets.
“They’re not pulling stuff out of thin air,” she said.
Kinnear made it clear she doesn’t agree with more than 600 people accused of violent crimes being released on their own recognizance.
Probably no one would publicly admit to wanting 600 people accused of violent crimes released on their recognizance.
The first step she would advocate for is separating the populations being held in jail and treating alleged offenders based on what they’re accused of. For example, someone in their own home smoking methamphetamine is a lot different than someone who attempted to strangle their spouse.
If Spokane County builds two new jails, Kinnear said, there must be a treatment center. There has to be a diversion program. There have to be solutions after someone is behind bars.
“People who stay in jail probably don’t make bail. They will be typically lower income, a minority, homeless. … They’re forced to stay there. There’s already an inequity. … We need a better look at the state system,” she said.
Inequities are something Kurtis Robinson said he knows well. He is the Spokane NAACP president and the executive director for Revive Center for Returning Citizens and I Did The Time. He said the numbers just prove the system is failing.
Robinson said he thinks the system is already too harsh. He also said he believes prosecutors tend to “stack” charges to force people into a corner.
“It’s always situational, but we have a tendency as a system to overcharge people. That’s not an excuse for behavior, but it points to us having a serious conversation,” he said. “The longer answer is, our society as a whole has a lot of issues. This is representative of the issues happening in our system and communities. … The desire is to build a bigger jail rather than pour resources into the community and give people alternatives.”
The Bail Project, a New York-based nonprofit that works in Spokane, says that when someone is held in jail or cannot afford bail, “terrible things happen.”
Spokane County Commissioner Chris Jordan said there has to be a larger discussion about “getting the right people in jail.”
Bottom line.
A law-abiding society is not "always situational."
Relativism is the basis for so-called "progressivism."
Our society will never find stability until we restore our institutions, including our legal system to the principles held by our Founders---principles based on biblical, Judeo-Christian values.
Until then we will continue as Israel once did. A nation where "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25).
And remember Proverbs 21:2-3: "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: But the LORD pondereth the hearts. To do justice and judgment Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice."
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Engaged. Be Prayerful.