Stop the revolving door for criminals in NJ (Opinion)

We've been talking about the spike in crime and the fact that government policies have made the situation much worse.

Bail reform, which started with good intentions to prevent a poor person from being jailed longer just based on finances, is a huge part of the problem. Add to that a lack of prosecution for smaller crimes and the outright release of thousands of prisoners by our government before they completed their sentences.

It's a problem nationwide and New Jersey is seeing our share. Many police chiefs and law enforcement officers have expressed privately the frustration they have with government policies that make their jobs so much harder.

Many people are now taking protection and safety into their own hands by purchasing firearms, dogs and cameras.

As I've discussed on air, my friends at Acteon installed a cutting-edge camera system in my home. We're now the go-to in the neighborhood every time there's a report of a suspicious person or vehicle. We send the clips to the local police. Unfortunately, it's happening more now than I can ever remember.

According to Police Chief Chris Cannizzo in East Hanover, we essentially have a catch-and-release policy with many criminals being released from custody after 12 hours.

With the scores that are used to determine if a perp should be detained, the fact that other states don't cooperate or use the same system is leading to a dangerous situation for local cops and homeowners.

The immediate fix would be to detain perps for a minimum of 48 hours if they have a certain score and give the discretion to assistant prosecutors to make a determination based on the accusation and history of the person.

Ultimately, as politicians wrangle over the solutions, many of us are realizing that you have no choice but to take more precautions personally.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.