A bail industry meeting took place on the 2nd floor of the Crown Plaza Hotel down the street from LAX on November 2, 2011. The meeting was organized by the American Bail Coalition and included representatives of not only the members of ABC, but California’s two bail agent associations, California Bail Agents Association and The Golden State Bail Agents Association and representatives of Aladdin Bail Bonds, the state’s largest retailer. This cooperative was named the California Bail Coalition (CBC).
The purpose of the meeting was to gather stakeholders operating within the California commercial bail community to discuss ways the bail industry can better involve itself in the process of moving thousands of criminal offenders from the state’s prison system to local county jails brought about by the passing of AB109. Specific focus was given to coordinating efforts to communicate, through informed representatives, with members of local Community Corrections Partnership (CCP) who are charged with formulating and recommending a plan for their respective counties on how to manage the influx of state inmates and early release parolees into their local systems, a huge undertaking.
CCP’s were established by the Corrections Performance Incentive Act of 2009 (SB 678) and are comprised of primarily public servants working within the criminal justice system with the exception of a representative of victims of crime. A representative of the bail industry, an integral part of the overall criminal justice system, was not included.
While bail agents were not included on the CCP board, bail agents have been attending the CCP meetings being held all over the state. The CCP boards are charged with addressing a multitude of issues and challenges presented with the prison realignment, ranging from creating bed space (where none existed), reallocating police and sheriff deputies from the street to the jails, expediting release of pretrial detainees and the increased demand for rehabilitation and medical services. All this is to be accomplished without hindering public safety.
The California Bail Coalition is looking for bail agents interested in being a local representative and willing to attend all local meetings of the CCP. Interested bail agents should contact either ABC, CBAA, GSBAA or Aladdin depending upon their affiliation.
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