Pubdate: Mon, 01 Apr 2002 Source: San Francisco Examiner (CA) Copyright: 2002 San Francisco Examiner Contact: http://www.examiner.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/389 KEEP MOVING ON COMMUTER CRIME LESS than a week after The Examiner's in-depth probe of high drug crime along the BART corridor in The City, Supervisor Gavin Newsom has taken a first step toward cleaning it up. Newsom's resolution calls for the chief judge of the Municipal Court to convene a judge's bail committee to see if we can set bail guidelines that come closer to those of other Bay Area counties. The sooner, the better. Our bail schedule for drug-related crimes is so far out of line with neighboring counties' that their drug dealers come here because they know they'll pay less -- and serve less time -- if they get caught here. This costs us in jail time, court time, and quality time on Market Street, Mission Street and other main drags. The resolution awaits action by the neighborhood services committee, composed of Supervisors Newsom, Mark Leno and Jake McGoldrick. It should fly out of there and onto the full board's plate with all deliberate speed. Our smelly, drug-infested streets won't wait. THE last time the bail schedule was adjusted was 1998, when then- Supervisor Jose Medina called for a review after an earlier Examiner report. Bails were raised, but were still less than those of other counties. The City's bail rate for people accused of having 1 oz. of crack and intending to sell it jumped from $2,500 per count to $10,000 per count, but was still less than Alameda's $20,000 and Contra Costa's $30,000. And while most neighboring counties have raised their bail schedules, ours has remained stagnant. Contra Costa county sets its rate for the same crime at $100,000 now; San Mateo's rate is $50,000. So if you're a small-time dealer, where would you rather get arrested: The City or San Mateo? Duh. Fair is fair. Potential penalties for crimes shouldn't differ so radically depending on which side of the Cow Palace the crack seller happens to be standing. Let's catch up to our smarter sister counties. They'll just have to find some other way to export their rotten element onto our streets. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh