Inmates released due to jail overcrowding

Last Friday Oakland County Circuit Court Chief Circuit Judge Nanci Grant ordered sentence reductions for 227 inmates housed at the Oakland County Jail in an effort to alleviate the jail overcrowding state of emergency declared by Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard on March 2. Michigan law mandates that inmates receive sentence reductions if they would not present a high risk to the public safety. The sentence reductions are required by law to alleviate an overcrowded condition in the county jail. Those receiving sentence reductions last Friday included both sentenced misdemeanants and felons. The inclusion of sentenced felons was necessary to alleviate the jail overcrowding emergency. Inmates sentenced on assaultive or drunk driving charges were not granted time cuts. Grant ordered a careful and deliberative review of all eligible inmates before deciding upon those who would be granted sentence reductions. In addition to excluding inmates with assaultive or drunk driving offenses, inmates were screened for pending warrants from other counties and parole violations in other jurisdictions. These activities were undertaken by a group of law enforcement and administration of justice officials appointed by Grant. This is the first jail overcrowding emergency experienced by Oakland County since October 2007. Published: Tue, Mar 20, 2012

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