About Those Non-Custodial Arrests...

Most routine traffic arrests in the Shoals have always been non-custodial. Now Florence and Lauderdale County have added most misdemeanors to the list of crimes that won't demand a trip to the detention center. In other words, trespass or shoplift a minor item, and you'll simply sign a citation and be released on your own recognizance until your court date.

In times of jail overcrowding, this seems like one easy solution, but does it have its drawbacks? Our friends at Free at Last Bail Bonding see quite the downside to this policy:

It will effect every bonding business in the county. It also is a catch and release system and will cost tax payers money when the people getting the summonses don't show up for court. In the long run it is a bad deal. Other cities are trying to get away from it. It's bad bad bad. 

It's catering to the criminals and not the victims. It's going to tell the criminals they can commit these certain crimes with only a ticket...and there will be more of them.

We as bonding companies, we don't cost the tax payers one cent. We need small businesses to get behind this and fight this. 

We hope you never need the services of a bail bondsman, but if you do, be sure to contact Free at Last: