AKRON, Ohio (AP) - An effort to ease jail overcrowding in one northeastern Ohio county is drawing concern from police chiefs, who are wary of not immediately jailing people charged with nonviolent, low-level felonies.
The Akron Beacon Journal (https://bit.ly/2nJRwy8 ) reports that officials in Akron have tried a program in which some of those defendants get a summons to appear in court instead of waiting in jail for an initial appearance. A jail official says the effort noticeably reduced jail bookings.
Backers hope to expand the program in Summit County using a $50,000 MacArthur Foundation grant, but not everyone is on board.
That includes Barberton Chief Vincent Morber, who leads the Summit County Police Chiefs Association. He says low-level felony offenders are often the suspects who most need screening and assessment through the jail.
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Information from: Akron Beacon Journal, https://www.ohio.com
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