PERRY, Ga. — On December 14, the Perry City Council discussed alternative sentencing for those going to municipal court. This means house arrest could be an option instead of jail time for those facing charges in municipal court.
"Our municipal court came to the administration and asked us to consider an alternative form of sentencing for prisoners and it did come from the courts," City of Perry Mayor Randall Walker said.
Perry Police Chief Steve Lynn says this option would apply only to those who committed nonviolent crimes.
"The electronic monitoring the in-house arrest gives the judge another option: if he does not want to put them in jail, then he sentences them to be at home," Lynn said.
Right now, it costs the city about $40 a day to keep someone in jail versus $10 a day for home monitoring, according to Mayor Walker.
"This is only giving the judge the discretion after he hears all the facts of the case to make a determination if that fits and that will be up to him," Lynn said.
Chief Lynn says this measure would also help limit the amount of people at the Houston County Detention Center which would cut down the risk of COVID-19 spread. Even with Lynn on board, the measure did face some opposition.
"I feel like their ability to pay their bills and support their family should have been part of their thought process before they decide to commit a crime, so I don't know, I'm just not soft on crime," ???
Councilmember Joy Peterson voted against alternative sentencing, but the majority ruled with a 4 to 1 vote. Riley Hunt was out of town, so he did not vote, according to Walker.