SAN ANTONIO — Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, District Attorney Joe Gonzales and other county leaders spoke Friday about the "cite and release policy" for dealing with non-violent offenders.
In the three years since the policy was implemented, more than 6,000 people have been cited by law enforcement for non-violent misdemeanor offenses instead of being arrested, county leaders report.
"To date, it has saved Bexar County $4.7 million in booking costs while allowing those offenders to get the resources needed to prevent them from being re-arrested," the release says.
On Friday, leaders discussed the impact this has had on preventing crime and repeat offenders, as well as other benefits to public safety and taxpayers.
They also provided a graphic that has more reported numbers:
The data indicates that 6,235 citations have been issued by law enforcement. SAPD has written 89% of all citations, and 65% of all citations are for possession of marijuana. The Bexar County District Attorney's Office has discretion to review the citations and determine how to resolve each case.