From: Scott Keen
Columbus
Per Republic police reports, it is apparent anyone arrested in Bartholomew County for simple possession of heroin, or methamphetamine, or a clean syringe (Level 6 felonies) has a bond set at $57,500.
Therefore, If somebody is caught with a small quantity of heroin and a syringe, they are facing $115,000 in bond. (Suspects can get released pretrial by posting 10% of the bond amount in cash. In this case, it’s $11,500.)
On the other hand, over the past year, a man was arrested for ”battery: results bodily injury, criminal confinement (level 6 felony), and resisting law enforcement" with a bond of $17,500.
Another arrest showed “operating a vehicle while intoxicated, operating a vehicle while intoxicated-endangerment, operating a vehicle with a blood-alcohol level of .08 percent or more, operating a vehicle as HTV" with a bond of $17,500.
Another: domestic battery, bond $5,000.
These suspects can get out of jail easier than someone possessing a single syringe with no drugs. A spouse beater can get out by depositing $500 dollars, but a syringe possessor would need to pony up $5,750. That money is held until all costly court, probation, drug test fees, etc. are paid, which could be years.
Jennings County bond amounts for similar offenses are much lower.
For example, just last week, “possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a syringe" had a $1,055 bond. (I just learned Jennings’ bonds as listed in the Republic are the cash out amount, so the “total” bond amount is $11,500.)
Bartholomew County would set that bond around $62,000 ($6,200 cash). Six times as much!
This raises some questions:
— Why are dangerous criminal bond amounts in Bartholomew County, for similar felony levels, much lower than those for simple possession of heroin, meth or a syringe?
— How exactly do these extreme bond amounts help substance abusers and Bartholomew County in general?
— Why are Jennings County bond amounts for similar crimes so much lower? Does this impact their success in law enforcement operations or finances or their jail population?
Nonviolent substance abusers are thrown into overcrowded jails and little is done to help them with their addiction. Even if they can get released as a low-risk offender on their own, recognizance after 48 hours, high bonds make it hard for suspects to get out awaiting trial, thus suffering through withdrawal in jail with no support, and when they finally get out, sick and distraught and still addicted, their problems are now only worse.
Getting arrested for drugs already throws these typically young, poor “offenders” into a societal meat grinder that can ruin lives, with most of that grinding being some form of punishment from the government.
I thought we as a nation have finally concluded that substance abusers, our families and friends, deserve compassion and medical assistance — not punishment. I personally don’t think nonviolent, small-time drug offenders should be put in jail at all.
How does this practice help?
