Advocates push to lower cost for bonding out of jail in Kansas

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The ACLU of Kansas discussed bail bond reform at a meeting Thursday night, citing the inability of lower-income individuals to bond out of jail. Advocates say someone’s life should not be put on hold for a misdemeanor crime.

Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter said the current system is working, and altering it could prove to be risky.

“It’s a system. It’s not a perfect system by no means. If there’s something to look at, then I think we should take a look at it,” said Sheriff Easter.

Sheriff Easter said own-recognizance bonds or zero cash bail for minor crimes have helped the jail not see overcrowding for the first time in years. He believes people have access to bail out.

“Through bonding and the way it’s set up with the OR bonds and those types of things, people don’t spend as much time here,” said Sheriff Easter.

Sierra Jones spoke at tonight’s meeting. She said she was not given an affordable bond for a parole violation, leading to complications.

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“That was the most damaging part, was that I lost my kid, simply because I went to jail and I could not bond out,” said Jones.

Local Bail Bondsman Angel Martinez said the own-recognizance bond system is not perfect and needs to be modified to provide more clarity on what charges qualify.

“You’ll see somebody go to jail for a probation violation and be stuck in there, and then you’ll see somebody with an aggravated assault get an Own Recognizance bond,” said Martinez.

Sheriff Easter said extreme bail reform on the west and east coasts have allowed those facing murder to bail out and murder again. He said it’s something he does not want to see happen in Wichita.

“Where you have people committing serious criminal acts, violent crimes, that are back on the street, reoffending, because they didn’t have to bond out, or the bond was five thousand dollars, we’re seeing that more and more on the coast, and I’m not interested in that kind of stuff,” said Sheriff Easter.

Sheriff Easter said House Bill 2755 is aimed at setting a minimum appearance bond fee of 10%, hopefully keeping violent offenders from being able to easily bond out of jail.

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