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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW San Diego car theft suspect released after Medford arrest ... Alleged San Diego car thief draws heavy police presence to east Medford ... Grants Pass woman dies following Interstate 5 crash ... San Diego car theft suspect released after Medford arrest ... Alleged San Diego car thief draws heavy police presence to east Medford ... Grants Pass woman dies following Interstate 5 crash ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Inmates released based on risk to community MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 31, 2016 @ 12:01 am Posted Mar. 31, 2016 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> How is the decision made on who is jailed and who is released? It seems that some people with serious charges are released on their own recognizance, while people with lower charges are held with or without bail. — Paul, Medford We reached out to Capt. Dan Penland with the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, who oversees operations at the Jackson County Jail. Courts, community justice and the jail all have a say in who is or isn't released. Bail amounts are uniformly set by the state, but the amount can be adjusted by a judge. In most cases, the offender can post 10 percent of the bail amount and be released. Penland said that when inmates are booked into the jail, they are assessed for risks such as their probability of re-offending, probability of appearing in court as scheduled and general risk to the community. "They get assigned a number from 1 to 6," Penland said. Factors include an inmate's community ties, such as a job, a home or a family in the area, as well as the inmate's criminal history. Low-risk inmates from 1-3 are automatically released, Penland said, even if the jail isn't at its capacity of 230 inmates. Penland said low-risk inmates are less likely to leave the area. When the jail is at capacity, jail staff release the inmate with the lowest risk number, regardless of how long the inmate was lodged at the jail. “We’re always releasing the person with the lowest risk that we can,” Penland said. Some inmates are exempt from release consideration, such as those charged with Measure 11 crimes, sexual offenses, those serving a court-imposed sentence or those who have charges pending in U.S. District Court. Penland said there are overrides in the system, as well. For example, if police detectives believe a low-risk offender has additional charges coming, a shift supervisor can keep the inmate in custody, even if it means releasing another inmate instead. Sometimes inmate releases force staff to make the better of two bad decisions, but Penland said the number is based on analysis, not "pulled out of thin air." "We don't like having to release some of the people we have to," Penland said. —Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 31, 2016 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501