SACRAMENTO – Today, Chief Jim Salio, President of the Chief Probation Officers of California (CPOC), issued the following statement in response to the Legislature passing SB 10 (Hertzberg):

“When the historical policy decision was made to remove cash bail from our criminal justice system we knew as experts in the field of risk assessment, public safety and rehabilitation, it was crucial to maintain the balance between public safety and civil rights by utilizing evidence-based risk assessments in the absence of a bail schedule.

“We believe SB 10 will maximize return to court, maximize public safety and enhance opportunities for low-risk offenders to maintain critical community supports. As we have done in other criminal justice reforms, we remain committed to a research-based approach to public safety that promotes positive behavior change. Our goal is to prevent crime and delinquency, reduce recidivism, restore victims and promote healthy families and communities.  One of our key missions is to objectively assess the law and facts for individuals coming before the Court.  We appreciate that SB 10 reflects the informed and sound policies garnered from the work done by the Chief Justice’s Pretrial Detention Reform Workgroup as well as the many successful pretrial programs currently in place in many probation departments in California.”