October 2020 PBT Newsletter Released- All About Risk Assessments

 



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Episode No. 71- When Police Stop Policing with Guests Dr. Eric Piza and Dr. Nathan T. Connealy

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 In 2020, there were protests in Seattle, Washington following the death of George Floyd.  For a period of 24 days, an area that became known as the Capitol Hill Occupation Protest (CHOP) was treated as an autonomous zone where the police did not respond to calls.  As a result, the CHOP zone became an example of what happens when police stop policing.  Dr. Eric Piza and Dr. Nathan T. Connealy largely used data from the City of Seattle Open Data portal, analyzing data from more than one year prior to CHOP with two microsynth models to understand average and seasonal crime trends.  Dr. Piza and Dr. Connealy looked at the impact of crime in three areas:  (1) the CHOP zone; (2) the two block radius around the CHOP zone; and (3) the precinct at large. The results showed a significant increase in crime within the CHOP zone, the encompassing two-block area, and the overall East precinct service area during the occupation period.   The study suggests that call...
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"The Cost of Bail Reform was My Daughter's Life"

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Less than a year ago, life was good.  I was the proud mother of  two beautiful daughters and grandma to the sweetest eight-month old girl  you'd ever seen.  We were planning a gender-reveal for the arrival of  Caitlynne's second baby when everything went wrong. My daughter's husband, Alex Guajardo, had been on a downward spiral.  In May 2019, he  was arrested for a second DWI and a hit-and-run.  He received what is called a personal recognizance or free PR bond and was released from  jail.  In July, he was arrested again on a charge of assault-family  violence for assaulting Caitlynne, who was then 17-weeks pregnant.  My daughter made a brave move and filed criminal charges against Alex for  beating her up. Immediately following Alex's arrest, I begged Caitlynne to stay with me so I could protect her and the babies.  She refused.  Caitlynne had convinced herself that the system would protect h...
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Melanie Infinger Celibrates Passage of SB 6

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  "I am beyond pleased that the Texas legislature passed Senate Bill 6,” Melanie Infinger said in a statement. “Since my daughter Caitlynne’s murder in 2019, I vowed to do whatever possible to save other families from the excruciating preventable pain of losing a loved one in the manner in which I lost my girl and her unborn child."  Melanie Infinger on the Governor signing SB6 into law-  To see more CLICK HERE . 
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The Criminal Justice System is Based Upon Accountability: Caitlynne's Law

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A working criminal justice system is based upon accountability. When a defendant is arrested, he or she must answer the charges filed.  The defendant is released from jail preconviction with assurances that they will return whenever demanded by the court to appear.  If the individual misses court, state law requires that their bond be forfeited and a warrant issued.  The case will then be put on hold awaiting the defendant’s return to court.  The delay may be a few days, a few weeks, or even months or years.  In a few rare cases, the individual may never return.  The purpose of bail is to assure that the defendant will return for court. The consent decree in the case of O’Donnell v. Harris County , which was recently approved by the federal court in Houston, turns the concept of accountability on its face.  The settlement will cause a fundamental deterioration of the criminal justice system that will manifest itself in a number of ways.  In fact, ...
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Summary of the 2025 Texas Legislative Session- Bail Matters

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  This is a summary of the bail bills or bills that may relate to the bail industry that were enacted in the 2025 Texas Legislative Session. HB 1522-  This bill amended the Texas Open Meetings Act to change the notice requirement from 72 hours to 3 business days.  The biggest impact of this change will impact Bail Bond Board meetings.  The notice now must be posted 3 business days before the meeting.  A weekend cannot be counted in that time period. To see the final bill CLICK HERE .  HB 1778- This bill created Section 43.032 of the Texas Penal Code with creates a new offense "Continuous Promotion of Prostitution." Additionally, the bill amends article 17.081 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure to add 43.032 to the list of offenses.  This section requires that for the list of offenses, the bail bond must include the address and driver's license number for the defendant and the surety.  Additionally, article 17.465 (b) of the Texas Code of Crim...
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