Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Ask why; always ask why

Last night a driver in Woodstock was arrested on a DUI charge, and his family was told that his bail would be $1,328, because of a prior DUI. The family called me about 8:15AM.

The bond was calculated this way:

$ 300 (10% of standard $3,000 bond)
$ 28 sheriff's fee
$1,000 additional bail due to prior DUI

The problem? The driver claimed he had never had a prior DUI.

I called the Jail for the family and learned that a slight identification error had occurred originally, with the result that incorrect information about the required bail was given out. I was told that his bail would be $128.

I notified the family and they headed over to bail him out. Then I realized that the correct bail ought to be $328, and I called the jail back for confirmation. At that time I learned that the family was already there with the bail, but there is an Immigration hold on him.

So it goes from bad to worse. Apparently, his application to I.C.E. for documented status was accepted and he was just waiting to be notified to pick up his approved registration.

Will he now become a "guest" of I.C.E. for $90.00/day in the immigration wing at the Jail? And for how long?

If it turns out that his application status is valid and that he is legally in this country, pending approval of his application, what disruption in his life will occur as the result of initial confusion about an alleged prior DUI or an Immigration hold?

Let's hope that MCSD has an inside track with I.C.E. and that they don't have to call an agent in the Chicago Field Office of I.C.E. and wait days for an agent not to bother to call back. I can just imagine that a pending application for anything is stuck in a pigeon hole on someone's desk.

12 comments:

M.U.G. said...

"The bond was calculated this way:
$ 300 (10% of standard $3,000 bond)
$ 28 sheriff's fee
$1,000 additional bail due to prior DUI"

Your name on a piece of paper stating you've been there in the past - PRICELESS!

More money for a prior DUI. Now that's a crime. That sure is a money making machine up at that courthouse.

It seems once you have a record up there and even though you've taken care of your 'punishment' and fine they are still into your pocketbook.

Gus said...

And the fact is that he didn't have a prior DUI. Just a name similar to someone who had one. Different date of birth; different D/L number.

Midnight Rider Review said...

It's not being stated on the major news networks, but Immigration Enforcement is on a "Major" hunt!

I've never seen this much activity nationwide. (I know this is a bit apart from your story Gus) But FYI, things are happening.... very quietly.

Not trying to be funny, but 'WalMart' is a major hunting ground right now for ICE. Nationwide, it's going down!

Dave Labuz said...

Your government at work!

ICE and the INS can't even fight their way out of wet paper bag, and we're to assume the relevant units are ready and equipped to process another 8-12 million aliens into the system properly should "reform" pass? Any sort of "reform" or just ordinary operations imply "drawing a line" somewhere, yet all these agencies are equipped to do is feed you a line.

My sister had a problem with passports for her family. They won a trip to Jamaica. 3 months before travel (the day after her prize notification), she completed the application process, including paying the extra expedite fees, with the expectation of receiving them at least 2 or 3 weeks before departure.

The day before travel, still no passports, although she did find out that they were issued, and likely in the downtown Chicago office. On travel day, they trooped downtown with their luggage, entered the building at 9 AM, and discovered that even by late afternoon when their flight was to leave, they might not even be at the counter yet.

Shortly before noon, she gave up, and was crying on her way down in the elevator. Luckily, two ladies from that office on their lunch hour were on with her and asked her what was up. When my sister told them what was up, one of them went back up to the office, and within 5 minutes brought her passports down to her.

There are angels out there, and many good people who work in these agencies (although perhaps not enough)- it's the system that's lousy.

The reason for continued governmental failures is that our own legislators don't have to use the very systems they've set up for the rest of us rabble.

Gus said...

Exactly right, DBTR. If those at the top of the food chain had to put up with what everyone else does, things might change. On the other hand, the trickle-down impact might be so slow as to outlive even them.

Gus said...

And it seems that Sheriff Nygren has somewhat quietly stepped up efforts to detain suspected illegal immigrants.

If he is going to enforce the law, then he should come right out and say so.

Watch Arizona closely, too.

mike said...

Gus said, "And it seems that Sheriff Nygren has somewhat quietly stepped up efforts to detain suspected illegal immigrants."

Really? On what do you base this, Gus? That ICE had this guy in the computer and they put a hold on him? That Nygren and the deputies are setting up roadblocks outside the Home Depot's in the county and making mass arrests of day laborers? Because a little birdie told you so? Because the voices in your head say so?

You're really getting rather tiresome. You keep making these little accusations - and that's all they are coming from you - about something going on in the jail that's unaddressed. A little smoke, no fire and a mere hint that you'll let on more later but, for now, it's too "hush hush."

We hear a lot of crying about a wolf but we're not seeing any tracks. Maybe you and Chicken Little could collaborate?

Gus said...

Hey, Mike. You reminded me of the time that Chicken Little heard the sky was falling. She called her stockbroker and said, "Sell Sky. Sell Sky."

Deputies didn't necessarily inquire about documentation during traffic stops. I've heard that now they are.

Maybe some of the deputies who read this blog would be willing to comment.

There was something in the local paper recently about a step-up in immigration enforcement.

mike said...

What the hell? Okay, MAYBE they are inquiring about documentation when they make an arrest. Then again, maybe not. What's the problem? Then you go and say something utterly ridiculous like "If he is going to enforce the law, then he should come right out and say so." Are you suggesting that he drag out the traffic statutes and the criminal code , etc. and read off each violation that they will enforce? I can see it now... "and if you burn garbage in your back yard, we will ticket you. If you're thinking about stealing your neighbor's BBQ grill, we will arrest you for theft, If you..." Get real!

Gus said...

No, Mike. What I mean is, if you don't enforce laws for a long time, then I don't think it's necessarily fair to begin enforcing them without adequate notice to the public.

Don't think I'm soft on the illegal immigration issue. I'm not. I liked Sheriff Beck's approach - you treat everybody the same. If they are in this country illegally, he doesn't care if they are brown, yellow, black, red or white.

Gus said...

Anybody have a copy of the recent media article about MCSD and its current approach on Section 287(g)? Didn't Sheriff Nygren make some remark about Sheriff Beck? I don't recall whether he did or if Beck's name was just mentioned in the same article.

Dave Labuz said...

Maybe Nygren's excited because there's an election or somthin?