California DA laments 'staggering number' of new crimes after zero bail policies embolden criminals
Yolo County, California District Attorney Jeff Riesig weighs in on the effects of his county's zero bail policy adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A California district attorney told Fox News that more than 70% of criminal suspects released on $0 bail between 2020 and 2021 in his county committed new crimes once they were returned to the streets.
The California Judicial Council in April 2020 implemented the statewide Emergency Bail Schedule, or "zero bail" policy, which critics say has only emboldened criminals and contributed to the soaring rate of crimes committed by repeat offenders.
Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig told "America Reports" on Wednesday the number of new crimes committed by criminal suspects released without bail in his county alone are "staggering." Most new crimes were committed within six months of their release, he said.
CALIFORNIA COUNTY SAW 70% OF CRIMINAL SUSPECTS RELEASED ON $0 BAIL COMMIT NEW CRIMES: DA
Of the 595 individuals released on $0 bail in Yolo County, 420 — of 70.6% — were rearrested for new crimes. (Facebook/ Yolo County Sheriff's Office)
"I mean, frankly it shocks the conscience to think that many new crimes were committed by the people released on $0 bail, and all of the new victims," he said. "That’s what I thought about, the new victims who have been created as a result of this policy."
In June of this year, Reisig's office began tracking which suspected offenders released without bail went on to commit new crimes in Yolo County, which includes parts of west Sacramento.
Of the 595 individuals released on $0 bail between 2020 and 2021 in Yolo County, 420 — or 70.6% — were rearrested for new crimes, and 123 — or 20% — were arrested for a violent crime such as murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery, carjacking or domestic violence, according to Reisig's office. In one example they provided, an individual released on $0 bail was later charged with murder in Sacramento for a shooting that occurred in July 2021.
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A California district attorney found that more than 70% of criminal suspects released on $0 bail between 2020 and 2021 in his county committed new crimes. (Fox News)
"$0 bail was the rage in California during the pandemic, and as a result, you had people who were being arrested for all types of crimes, including felonies, and being immediately released into the community with no supervision, no oversight, no mandated treatment, no ankle monitor, no conversation with the victims of their original crimes," Reisig told Fox News host John Roberts.
"They were just being dumped out of the jails and that’s the number that we have, 70% reoffended. Some within days."
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The California Judicial Council rescinded its $0 bail order in June 2020, but some counties kept the policy in place. Yolo Count ended its $0 bail policy in June 2021, according to a press release from Reisig's office. Reisig said it's frustrating to see how many states are still embracing the $0 bail policies despite soaring crime rates nationwide.
"It’s really outrageous to me, to watch this happen around the country in places like New York, and other states, and right here in California. This movement by certain people to make $0 bail the law is ongoing," he said. "They are trying to put this into the law again, even though the voters rejected it in California."
"This is bad policy, it’s a get-out-of-jail-free card. People are getting really hurt, even murdered because of these policies," Reisig reiterated. "We just need to scratch it."
Fox News' Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.