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Recently, I wrote an editorial outlining why it would be a bad idea to allow violent criminals to be released immediately after arrest without posting a bond or appearing before a judge.
That idea, put forth in a proposal by Nushin G. Sayfie, Chief Judge of the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida, would allow defendants charged with robbery by sudden snatching, animal cruelty resulting in serious bodily injury or death, and non-domestic assault and battery to go home after being booked.
That’s not what Miami-Dade County residents want. And neither does the Miami-Dade County Commission, which voted unanimously that they “strongly oppose any reforms to bail and bond schedules or pretrial release programs of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit that would automatically grant arrested persons pretrial release on nonmonetary conditions, or on their own recognizance, without first appearing before a judge.”
Who are the members of the State Attorney’s Office who support this misguided program? Which members of the Miami-Dade County Chiefs of Police? Do the residents of high crime areas in South Florida want violent offenders to walk? Has Judge Sayfie conducted focus groups to determine public support for her plan?
I keep asking people whether they support this new proposal, since Judge Sayfie’s staff claims there is widespread stakeholder support. So far, only a handful of people have been in favor. Overwhelmingly, the majority say no.
I’ve run into judges who told me that the proposal is unnecessary, since “we make those decisions from the bench, and we can reduce a bond or waive an appearance based on the many factors involved in each case.”
Exactly. We don’t want or need Judge Sayfie’s “one-size-fits-all-violent-criminals” plan. Maybe the good judge should take a ride-along with Miami-Dade Police to the scene of an assault and battery call. Or help bury a pet that was tortured to death by a sadist.
Judge Sayfie needs to get in sync with South Florida citizens on how to handle violent criminals.
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