{"id":126048,"date":"2020-03-18T13:42:19","date_gmt":"2020-03-18T17:42:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=126048"},"modified":"2020-03-18T13:42:19","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T15:51:15","slug":"los-angeles-county-sheriff-releases-inmates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/los-angeles-county-sheriff-releases-inmates\/","title":{"rendered":"Los Angeles County Sheriff Releases Inmates While Warning Against Gun Buying"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

Governmental responses to the COVID-19 outbreak have varied across the country, but Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva is taking a new approach: release incarcerated criminals and discourage law-abiding citizens from purchasing firearms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a press conference on Monday, Villanueva told reporters\nthat his department is doing everything it can to protect the incarcerated population\nwhile also discouraging LA County residents from purchasing firearms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been doing quite a bit to minimize the impact of our\ncustody population,\u201d he said. \u201cOur population within our jail is a vulnerable\npopulation just by virtue of who they are and where they\u2019re located. So, we\u2019re\nprotecting that population from potential exposure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBuying guns is a bad idea,\u201d he continued, later in the press conference. \u201cYou have a lot of people now who are at home, normally they\u2019re not, cabin fever sets in, you got a crowded environment, weapons are not a good mix.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEE ALSO: \u2018Seems like the World Has Gone Mad\u2019: Ammo Shortages Rise Amid Coronavirus Outbreak<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The county has so far reduced the incarcerated population by\nover 600 from 17,076 people in custody on February 28 to 16,459 on March 16. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019ve done so using a variety of strategies, Villanueva\nsaid. They\u2019ve released inmates who have less than 30 days left on their\nsentence, and they\u2019ve kept the population from rising by directing officers to \u201ccite\nand release everybody they can.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019ve reduced the number of arrests in the county from 300\nper day to 60 per day, and they\u2019ve raised the aggregate bail amount to book\nfrom $25,000 to $50,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnything under that amount we can cite and release, even\nwarrants,\u201d Villanueva said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crimes that come with a bail of less than $50,000 include, according to the 2020 LA County Bail Schedule<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n