Feds Lowering Blood Alcohol Content Level?

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Here is an interesting story we recently came across for a push to lower the legal blood alcohol content from .08 to .05. It seems they seem to think that by doing this they will be able to reduce the number of fatalities from drunk driving. Really? We seem to think that it will only punish responsible adults for enjoying a drink with their meal and not do anything for lowering fatalities. In fact we think that the only thing this will do is punish responsible people and lead to more arrests, more people having to spend more for legal fees and of course the need for more bail bonding services, and not make a difference at all of fatalities involving alcohol.

A recent post by  Keith Laing from TheHill.com points out that over the past 15 years the number of fatalities where alcohol is a factor has remained the same –

Image Credit: Getty Images

The American Beverage Institute (ABI) is criticizing the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) call for lowering the legal alcohol limit for drivers.

The NTSB included a proposal of lowering the legal alcohol limit for U.S. drivers from .08 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to .05 percent in its annual “Most Wanted” list that was released on Wednesday.

The beverage institute, which represents restaurants that serve alcohol, said Thursday the proposal to lower the alcohol limit is “ridiculous” and will not stop drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel.”

“Instead of targeting the heavily intoxicated drivers who cause most fatal drunk driving crashes, the NTSB wants to penalize responsible adults who enjoy one or two drinks with dinner,” ABI Managing Director Sarah Longwell said in a statement that was provided to The Hill.

“More than a decade ago, we lowered the legal limit from 0.1 percent to 0.08 after groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving promised a huge drop in fatalities,” she continued. “Yet the proportion of traffic fatalities caused by drunk drivers has remained the same for the past 15 years. Why would moving to .05 suddenly stop truly drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel? The fact is, it won’t.”

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Along with lowering the BAC, there is also a push to outlaw all cell phone use while driving! Really? It should be that all states should mandate hands free devices while driving so both hands can be on the wheel and of course no texting while driving. Elizabeth Harrington from the FreeBeacon.com reports this –

The National Transportation Safety Board wants to decrease the legal driving limit to one drink, lowering the legal limit on blood-alcohol content to 0.05 “or even lower.”

The agency released its “most wanted list” on Wednesday, a laundry list of policies it would like implemented nationally. The list includes recommendations to reduce the current 0.08 blood alcohol content limit and outlaw all cell phone use while driving, even hands-free technology.

“When it comes to alcohol use, we know that impairment begins before a person’s BAC reaches 0.08 percent, the current legal limit in the United States,” the agency said. “In fact, by the time it reaches that level, the risk of a fatal crash has more than doubled. That is why states should lower BAC levels to 0.05— or even lower.”

The agency issued the recommendation while admitting that “the amount consumed and crash risk is not well understood.”

“We need more and better data to understand the scope of the problem and the effectiveness of countermeasures,” they said.

“The NTSB has advocated that people should not drive impaired, whether that’s from alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, prescription medications or illicit drugs,” a representative from the board said. “We’ve pushed for states to reduce the threshold for DWI/DUI to 0.05 BAC or lower because research clearly shows that most people are impaired by the time they reach 0.05.”

A 0.05 BAC level would reduce the number of drinks an average-weight man of 180 pounds could have to two, according to Blood Alcohol Calculator.

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Some ideas are good, while others seem that they will only continue to clog up an already busy and overburdened legal system throughout the United States. Clearly as stated in the last article, more data and surveys need to be conducted to insure that any mandated laws will end up with less fatalities and accidents and not only lead to more people in the legal system.

Abolish Bail Bonds?

Abolish Bail Bonds? is republished from
Get Outta Jail GA

There has been a lot of controversy about the bail bonds service industry over the last few years. Many argue that that there is a double standard, a system for the rich and a system for the poor. But what really is the case? Here is our take on it and what we believe.

If you are arrested for a crime and taken to jail you can either sit there and wait for your trial, which can take up to several months. In the mean time you loose your job, your apartment or house if you own one, cars and maybe even your significant other. But if you use a bondsman, then you can get out of jail right away by paying a fee.

Here is where a lot of people are mislead. EVERYONE pays the fee when they employ a bondsman. Not just the poor. Now if you don’t have the 10% to get someone released the bondsman may also charge additional interest on the loan. This is not a practice that we are fond of. If the bondsman doesn’t want to make the bail and allow payments for the regular amount, they they shouldn’t make the bond.

Bail bondsman also help with making sure that people show up for their court dates and take this burden off of tax payers. If people are released on their own recognizance and don’t show up for court and run, who is going to bring them to justice and face the court, and more over, who is going to pay for it? It will either be the police to recover the jumper or a special group employed by the government to wrangle in these fugitives. And with there being a shortage of police officers they don’t have the time to do this. And we as tax payers will end up footing the bill.

Recently there was a new law suit filed in California to abolish the bonds system. While we don’t totally agree with the bondsman’s ethics, many states will be watching to see what happens. An article written by PAUL ELIAS for WRAL.com told it like this –

Crystal Patterson didn’t have the cash or assets to post $150,000 bail and get out of jail after her arrest for assault in October.

So Patterson, 39, promised to pay a bail bonds company $15,000 plus interest to put up the $150,000 bail for her, allowing to go home and care for her invalid grandmother.

The day after her release, the district attorney decided not to pursue charges. But Patterson still owes the bail bonds company. Criminal justice reformers and lawyers at a nonprofit Washington, D.C., legal clinic say that is unconstitutionally unfair.

The lawyers have filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of Patterson, Rianna Buffin and other jail inmates who argue that San Francisco and California’s bail system unconstitutionally treats poor and wealthy suspects differently.

Wealthy suspects can put up their houses or other valuable assets — or simply write a check — to post bail and stay out of jail until their cases are resolved. Poorer suspects aren’t so lucky. Many remain behind bars or pay nonrefundable fees to bail bonds companies.

San Francisco public defender Chesa Boudin says some of his clients who can’t afford to post bail plead guilty to minor charges for crimes they didn’t commit so they can leave jail.

Boudin represented Buffin, 19, after her arrest for grand theft in October. Buffin couldn’t afford to post the $30,000 bail or pay a bond company a $3,000 fee and so contemplated pleading guilty in exchange for a quick release from jail even though she says her only crime was being with the “wrong people at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Read the full article here – http://www.wral.com/lawsuits-seek-to-abolish-county-s-bail-bond-system/15196957

 

But what if we do as a country remove the bail bonds system? What will happen then? What about the cost of bring in people that don’t show up for court? What will happen if there is no consequences for not showing up for your court date?

 

Michelle Esquenazi answered a few of these questions and more in an article done by NDTV.com.

Here is an excerpt from the article –

Michelle Esquenazi tosses her mane of flaming red curls, kicks her feet clad in five-inch stilettos onto her desk and hollers for her assistant.

Meet the Bail Bond Queen, a New York mother of four with a “Master’s degree from the streets of Brooklyn” who worked her way up from being a paralegal student on welfare to company’s CEO.

She is the woman who can get you out of jail and calm your tearful mother — for a price — and she’s the one who is going to put you back behind bars if you do a runner.

“I always say I’m a b*****, but I’m not a stupid b*****,” Esquenazi tells AFP in Hempstead, a town on Long Island about an hour’s train ride east of New York.

Her company, Empire Bail Bonds, is the largest in New York state that helps thousands of clients navigate the US legal system when they get arrested.

The Justice Policy Institute estimates there are 15,000 bail bond agents in the United States, writing bonds for about $14 billion a year in a private industry unmatched anywhere but the Philippines.

Critics complain they take billions from low-income people, with no return on investment in terms of public safety.

Esquenazi says she’s doing society a favour.

“We do what governments don’t have the resources to do. We do everything at no taxpayers’ expense,” she explains, sipping milky coffee.

Bone Harvester

Anyone arrested in New York state must appear in court within 24 hours when the judge sets bail. Defendants can either pay cash or purchase a bond to secure their release.

Those who can afford to pay bail get all their money back if they keep all their court dates, even if they are eventually found guilty.

But for those of limited means, bonds are the only option. They pay Esquenazi a non-refundable fee to cover bail for them.

So if they do a runner, she sends her bounty hunters — Hollywood, Mr T and Jizo — to haul them back into jail.

Read the full article here – http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/the-bail-bond-queen-and-a-controversial-us-industry-1259343

We think that abolishing the bail bonds system will only leave more people in jail longer, there for leading to more unemployement as well as putting more of a strain on our legal system. We do believe that there is room for improvement with our current system and may need to be more regulated and watched more closely.

How Bail Works

How Bail Works was originally published on
http://www.get-outta-jail-ga.com/

Many people unfortunately get into trouble for one reason or another and end up on the wrong side of the law in a jail cell. Sometimes these people are guilty, sometimes they are innocent, never the less, our legal system allows said individuals to post bail and get out of jail until their trial.

But just how do bail bonds really work? A lot people are in full panic when they get that dreaded phone call from a loved one or friend that informs them they have been arrested and need them to post bail so that they may return to work and their normal lives. They have no idea what to do or where to turn.

We have found a few great articles with a lot of great information about just how bail bonds actually work and what to expect. Attorneys.com explains just how it works with the courts –

If you are arrested for a serious crime, the authorities will not release you from custody unless they are confident that you will show up in court for all required hearings and trial. If you can show that you are not likely to run away and you have substantial contacts in the community that require you to stay in the area, the court can release you on your own recognizance. 

Defendants who are not released on their own recognizance will usually pay some amount in bail. Bail is simply an amount of money that is deposited with the court to ensure that you show up for all court proceedings. You can post your bail in cash with the court, and you will then be released from custody. However, if you fail to show up in court, you forfeit the money to the court. Sometimes due to the severity of the crime and the court’s uncertainty about whether a defendant will show up for trial, a large bail will be set.

Read the full article here – http://www.attorneys.com/felonies/how-does-bail-work

But then you maybe left asking yourself “just how is the bail amount arrived at?”, or “what information do I need when contacting the bonding agent?”, and “where do I go to post the bail?”. These questions and more were covered wonderfully in a post by AboutBail.com –

 Who and what determines a person’s bail amount?

The bail amount is set by a judge during a bail hearing. The judge will consider a variety of factors, including the severity of the crime, previous convictions, the defendant’s ties to the community, family, and whether or not they have steady employment. 

Why do I need to hire a bail agent?

If you cannot afford bail, you need to hire a bail agent. You will pay a small fee to the agent, who will take on the responsibility of the full bail amount.

What information do I need when contacting a bail agent?

When contacting a bail agent, make sure you know:

• The full name of the person in jail
• What jail they are in
• Their booking number
• The charges
• Any other information you can get

Where do I go to post the bond?

The bail agent will usually meet you at the jail to post the bond, though in some cases they may be willing to come to your home. If you are not in the same city as the defendant all paperwork and payments can be handled electronically or over the phone.

Read the rest of the article here – http://www.aboutbail.com/pages/how-bail-bonds-work

Also, here is a great short video for those of you that don’t like to read and would rather just watch to learn –

 

If you have a friend or loved one that has been arrested and in jail in Cobb County, Fulton or other various counties located in Georgia please visit our website to get in touch with us and get them released as fast as possible!

Find Out If You Have An Outstanding Warrant

Find Out If You Have An Outstanding Warrant was originally seen on
Get Outta Jail GA

You may be in the situation where you may think that there is a warrant out for your arrest in the state of Georiga. What are you to do? First, don’t panic. You can easily find out without costing you a dime, then go ahead a line […]

Advice If You Get Arrested

The following post Advice If You Get Arrested is available on
http://ift.tt/1PneoMZ

At one point or another you may find yourself on the wrong side of the law in Georgia. There could be so many reasons for this; speeding, drunk driving, you may not have paid your taxes, you got into a fight in public, or it could even a case of domestic violence. When this happens, it is important that you should know what to do so as not to compromise the situation and worsen it further. The following are some of the things you should do;

Do not talk
They always tell you you have the right to remain silent. If you are being arrested, just go ahead and be quite. This is not the time for you to justify yourself or convince the officer to let you go, the right thing at this point is to just shut up. They in fact do not care whether or not you are innocent and in most instances, you might utter something that will get you into more trouble especially because at this point you are nervous.

Do not try to escape
This should be common sense…… If you run, it pretty much suggests that you are guilty and in most cases, there are additional charges for this. The officers may also assume you are armed considering you are running away from them. This will elevate the situation and this will force them to pull their firearms, or even taser you, and as we have all seen, this can be catastrophic.

Never attempt to resist arrest
Do not fight with the policemen or refuse to be hand cuffed. If you attack them, it will be considered as assault, which will be another additional charge. Simply follow whatever they say and fight your case later in court.

Keep quite until you speak to an attorney
When arrested, the police would want you to make a confession and would use all types of things to get you to do what they expect which in most cases is-expect you to be guilty. They might use the ‘it will make it easier for you’ or even use you to frame some of your friends in your circles, at times, they could even use threats. Whatever you hear after an arrest, never believe, stick to your story and better still do what is in the next point.

Get a lawyer
If you have been arrested for crime related issues then it is very important that you first ask for a lawyer. After you’ve requested for a lawyer, do not respond to any questions until your lawyer arrives. Some cases can be difficult and you can easily get into a lot of trouble if you have no one with knowledge of legal matters advising you.

Do not let the police search any of your properties
If they insist, ensure they do have a search warrant. Sometimes, a search may bring out something you were not even aware of or it could have been placed there by someone who wanted to frame you, or left there by someone else.

If possible, do not leave your property with them
The police like to take charge of your vehicle or property after arrest, do not allow this. There are times when they would tell you ‘your car is with us’.  Politely ask if you can have a friend or family member pick up your vehicle to avoid impound charges.

Contact a bondsman
The last and most important point is let someone know you’ve been arrested. If you are alone at the time of arrest, tell the police that you need to speak to a lawyer and if you can’t afford one at least let your wife or kids or a friend know that you’ve been arrested and have them contact a bail bondsman http://ift.tt/1PneoMZ to post bail to get you  released as soon as possible, provided that the court will let you post bail for the charges that you are facing.

All in all, just stay calm, don’t resist and the process will be much easier on you. It can be a difficult and trying experience, but if you follow the previous tips it will help make the process less stressing.

Jackass star Steve-O sentenced to 30 days in prison over SeaWorld stunt

The Jump star Steve-O has been sentenced to 30 days in prison over a protest he staged at America’s SeaWorld.

The 41-year-old today pleaded no contest to misdemeanour charges after he was arrested on August 9.

The London-born star of Jackass climbed 100ft up a crane in Hollywood with an inflatable orca with the words “SeaWorld Sucks” on it and lit fireworks.

Steve-O, whose real name is Stephen Glover, said he was inspired to carry out a protest by the 2013 documentary Blackfish.

Read the full story here: http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/jackass-star-steve-o-sentenced-6593966

More on celebrity news here: https://heavyeditorial.wordpress.com/entertainmen