9th District Court candidates discuss jail overcrowding
From Courier of Montgomery County By Jay R. Jordan |
Candidates for the 9th state District Court revealed their plans for alleviating the population of the Montgomery County Jail, clarifying their stance on who’s to blame for a jail some say is becoming overcrowded.
While 9th District Court candidates Kate Shipman Bihm, Phil Grant and Eric Yollick each said they believe not one entity is to blame for the overcrowding, they agree that the judiciary in Montgomery County could be part of the solution.
“Is it 100 percent the judiciary’s fault? No,” Grant said. “But the judiciary at least in a couple of courts has enhanced the problem by not trying enough cases, holding enough dockets or showing up for work on a regular basis.”
Grant said being on the bench more and holding more dockets is one way he would move people through the 9th. He said he’d be more reluctant in granting continuances and trial resets, claiming that delays the process.
Bihm said it was more of a “community effort” between law enforcement, courts and clerks, which could work together more in order to make sure criminals sentenced to prison get there quickly.
Once criminals are convicted, it is up to the District Attorney’s Office and District Clerk’s Office to file their paperwork with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in order to begin the process of transporting them to prison. Once the paperwork is filed with TDCJ, the Department has up to 45 days to pick up an inmate or start reimbursing the county for housing them.
