SHERIFF RELEASES 49 MORE SUSPECTS BUDGET REDUCED TO OPERATE JAILS.

Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer

Sheriff Lee Baca on Monday freed 49 misdemeanor suspects being held on less than $25,000 bail under a new policy that is expected to let hundreds more avoid incarceration in the coming days to save money on jail costs.

The move came after the release last month of more than 2,300 inmates who had served at least 70 percent of their sentences for misdemeanor convictions.

Under Baca's new policy, suspects arrested on misdemeanors with bail of $25,000 or less will be issued citations and will not be booked into jail.

Sheriff's Capt. Ray Leyva said authorities initially expected to release 146 inmates but identified only 49 who met the criteria.

After promising to appear in court, the inmates were released on charges of nonviolent misdemeanors, such as drug possession, being under the influence of drugs, public drunkenness, vandalism, trespassing, driving with a suspended license and some other vehicle code violations. He said most would have quickly bailed out if they had the money.

``It's our belief that, given the crimes they are in custody for, we would only hope that they would not become a problem for the community they are going back to,'' Leyva said.

Inmates will not be released if they are being held for state prison or mental health authorities or if they are suspected of committing a sex crime, violating a domestic-violence restraining order, drunken driving or failing to appear in court after a previous arrest.

Of those convicted of misdemeanors and released last month, so far none has been arrested again in connection with a serious crime, sheriff's officials said.

County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich said some of those inmates had plea-bargained serious felonies down to misdemeanors and are dangerous people.

``If you are releasing known felons who have had plea bargains to reduce their sentences in jail, then you have walking time-bombs prowling our streets,'' Antonovich said.

Last week, the supervisors approved sweeping budget cuts of $228 million countywide - the most ever - including $62 million in the Sheriff's Department.

Sheriff's officials say they needed to release the inmates so the department could shut down the Century Regional Detention Center in Lynwood and the Biscailuz Recovery Center, saving the department $18 million to $20 million a year.

A county Grand Jury report, released Friday, found the Biscailuz drug rehabilitation program costs an average of $105 a day per inmate, double the cost at other county jail facilities, and recommended the department closely track the expenses.

Sheriff's officials said the releases were necessitated by a steady increase in the county's inmate population, which had grown to a high of 21,000. As of Monday, the jail population stood at 19,953.

Baca has said jail costs have increased for a variety of reasons, including more inmates entering the system than being released or awaiting transportation to a state prison or mental hospital, higher bails and longer jail sentences. Sentences increased from an average of 40 days in January to 45 days in May, he said.