From Vera Institute of Justice:
“Arresting someone has such severe consequences,” said Eric Martinez, executive and policy director of Mano Amiga, a nonprofit that strongly advocated for an ordinance in San Marcos, Texas, that mandates a reasonable alternative to arrest for certain crimes. “A few days in jail can irrevocably alter someone’s life.”
Indeed, pretrial detention can cause people to lose their jobs, housing, and custody of their children, among other adverse social, psychological, and economic consequences. According to a Harvard University study, the effects of pretrial detention on people accused of low-level, low-risk offenses, like trespassing, vandalism, or shoplifting—which often carry shorter sentences to begin with—are especially devastating for people already destabilized by circumstances like poverty or mental health issues.
In April 2020, San Marcos made history by mandating that people accused of certain misdemeanor crimes—like graffiti or possession of small amounts of marijuana—be spared handcuffs and an immediate booking into jail. Instead of conducting an arrest, officers now cite and release people, with instructions to appear later in court. Although cite and release has long been touted and allowed as a practical response in many law enforcement interactions, San Marcos became the first city in Texas to use the force of law to compel their officers to actually use it. Continue reading >>>
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