Prior to the cite and release program, people who commit certain crimes would be arrested and taken to jail. That would cost the jail about $81 a day per inmate to house and also take an officer out of service for a non-violent crime.
Nueces County Sheriff John Hooper says that’s what the entire county wants to avoid. “I came from CCPD and for years the Corpus Christi Police Department was wanting this to evolve.”
The misdemeanors that fall under the cite and release program are: Possession of marijuana or a controlled substance, criminal mischief, graffiti, possession of contraband in a correctional facility and theft.
If you’re given a ticket, you’ll be required to appear in court at a later date and that’s when the District Attorney’s office will decide how to handle your case.
For more information on the program, visit: http://www.nuecesco.com/courts/district-attorney/cite-and-release-program
