The Professional Bondsmen of Texas- Blog

  Rising Crime:  Undermining Safety, Creating Chaos & Harming City Tax Bases-  Why Is It So Political? by Ken W. Good This article was published in the Attorney at Law Magazine October 7, 2024 Crime has become a political football, kicked back and forth across the electoral playing field. The public is receiving conflicting narratives about crime. One side argues that crime is increasing, while the other claims crime is on the decline — and that any belief to the contrary is driven by mere perception rather than reality. “People will use crime data to say whatever they want,” said Jeff Asher, a criminologist and co-founder of AH Datalytics. “When you don’t have that certainty of having nearly every agency reporting data, it means that you need a lot of literacy to be able to combat items that are being stated in bad faith.” In 2014, California passed Prop. 47, reclassifying a list of felony crimes as misdemeanors. The idea was that defendants would still face accounta...

The Economic Impact of Bad Bail Reform by Eric Granof Vice President of Corporate Communications for AIA Surety (This article was original published in the California Political Review on 1/6/2023) Over the past decade we have seen a variety of soft-on-crime policies enacted throughout the nation that has not only made our streets less safe, they have placed an unnecessary and devastating financial burden on our small businesses and communities.  They have all been based on several assumptions by advocates behind the changes.  First, that generally people are good and that they will come to court without someone, such as a private surety bondsmen, watching over them.  Second, that more criminals can be released from jail without having an impact on public safety. The subsequent reforms have included everything from "zero bail" policies to the defunding of law enforcement and reducing certain felony offenses to misdemeanor offenses.  The results have been ...

  On this episode of our podcast, we discuss the impact of rising crime on economic development.  In areas across the country we are seeing the impact of bad bail reform policies where business are suffering or closing because of decriminalization policies.  Our guest is Eric Granof who has been a guest in the past.  Eric discusses a recent presentation he gave at annual meeting for PBT on this matter.  Eric is also working on paper on the subject. Eric Granof is the Vice President, Corporate Communications Chief Marketing Officer – Expert Bail Network, AIA Surety. Also available on: Apple Podcasts-            CLICK HERE Spotify-                        CLICK HERE Google Podcasts-        CLICK HERE Podcast Index-            CLICK HERE Amazon Music-        ...

  Bo Dietl is ready to pack his bags and move to Florida if Gov. Hochul wins a full term in office in November. The former NYPD detective and failed mayoral candidate said he’s considering relocating to the Sunshine State on Wednesday as he unleashed a fiery endorsement of GOP gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin at a Manhattan rally. “If he doesn’t become the governor, I’m moving to Florida because I’m sick and tired of this governor and this state with these liberal values, bail reform, this is what we need,” Dietl said, ripping into Hochul as he introduced Zeldin outside of a Hamilton Heights bodega. The one-time Arby’s spokesman turned private investigator was joined by Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa as Zeldin and a phalanx his supporters hammered Hochul over crime and New York’s cashless bail system. The Long Island congressman chose Wednesday’s locale as a nod to Jose Alba, a bodega clerk initially charged with murder for fatally stabbing an attacker during an altercation...

  Gov. Kathy Hochul doubled down on bail reform Monday, saying there is no evidence it has contributed to rising crime rates. Her remarks came on the day her Republican opponent, Long Island Rep. Lee Zeldin, said reforms to solitary confinement rules led to an increase in attacks on corrections officers. Hochul was in Yonkers Monday for an official government event where she signed legislation. But during a question-and-answer session with reporters, she responded to new NYPD crime statistics that show the crime rate continues to move in the wrong direction. “Have you studied what’s happening in other cities across the nation?” Hochul asked. “Doesn’t make people feel real comfortable, but when you compare the number of cases per 100,000 — whether its different categories of crime, violent crime, shootings, homicides — we are still lower than major big cities.” According to the NYPD, overall crime was up more than 30% in New York City last month compared to the same period last year...

  Bronx business owners are demanding more be done to fight crime in their community and they’re turning up the heat on New York lawmakers over bail reform.  It eliminates case bail for most nonviolent crimes. The business owners blame the rise in crime on repeat offenders. They claim it’s making it nearly impossible to do business in their neighborhoods. "We need Albany to stop the nonsense that they’re doing, give Mayor Adams back up get some help out here," said small business owner Mario DeGiorgio. One example of the problem is seen in a security video released by the NYPD showing robbers targeting Rocco‘s Jewelry Store on Webster Avenue in the Bronx last week. The first man held the door open as the others ran inside. New York City Police say it took 30 seconds for the intruders to get away with $2 million worth of merchandise. This hurts business owner Mario DiGiorgio, who is also a member of the Fordham Road Business Improvement District.  "I’m disgusted with what...

  Even lefty Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg wanted him behind bars. A shoplifter with 122 busts under his belt was released on his own recognizance Wednesday thanks to controversial bail reform laws Bragg typically defends — and the DA’s office told The Post that even prosecutors would have asked for pre-trial detention if they could. In the latest reported case of lax city crime policies run amok, accused serial shoplifter Lorenzo McLucas, 34, was nabbed for stealing from the cosmetics counter at a Duane Reade on Lexington Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, according to cops and court documents. Bragg’s office told The Post that it would have requested McLucas be detained if it could, keeping in line with the DA’s recent announcement that he wanted to clamp down on serial shoplifters. “We cannot accept a system where individuals who shoplift again and again cycle in and out of jail, just to shoplift again,’’ Bragg had said in a June 17 statement — two days before city business owners revealed...

I.     Introduction Crime is increasing.  The causes of the rise are disputed.  Some claim that the cause is the defund the police movement.  Others point to the COVID-19 shutdown.  Others, including the district attorney in Harris County blame bad bail reforms as the cause of increasing crime. One of the unforseen affects of this rising crime is its impact on opportunities for economic development.  Currently, Texas is the beneficiary of businesses moving out of high crime areas.  But there are parts of Texas such as Harris County which have imposed criminal justice reforms which have caused significant rising crime.  Therefore, it is important to highlight how rising crime impacts Economic Development. II.      Developers and Business Owners Typically do not Invest in High Crime Areas An increase in violent crime immediately makes an area less desirable for economic investment. A business is not willing to make the investimen...

John Carlson fills in for Ari Hoffman.   Courtney Wimer, manager of All-City Bail Bonds in Tacoma, joins John to discuss the Tacoma Business Council tracking judges' rulings on releasing repeat offenders.