By Lacie Pierson, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va — Even as they wrapped up work on criminal justice reform legislation Saturday, West Virginia lawmakers acknowledged there likely still was more work to do to balance the scales of justice in the Mountain State.
The Legislature this session passed a series of bills meant to decrease the state’s jail population and make it easier for people convicted of crimes to get a job and back on their feet after they’re released from prison.
The most substantial among those bills was a bail reform measure that crossed the finish line Saturday evening with about five hours left in the session.
Senate Judiciary had House Bill 2419 for more than a month before advancing it earlier this week.
Chairman Charles Trump, R-Morgan, said he heard from a judicial officer that when officials in one circuit went to review their jail population, they found it was common for people who can’t afford to pay their bail to remain in jail on charges that don’t even have a jail sentence.
“The bill tries to strike the right balance between making sure that people maintain their right to reasonable bail … without jeopardizing public safety and providing, leaving in, the discretion of judicial officers,” Trump said.
By decreasing the jail and prison population, another goal is to decrease the cost of incarceration, which is paid for by counties and the state. But one part of that cost wasn’t considered in any legislation this year, said Sen. Bob Plymale, D-Cabell. …
