The Hays County Commissioners Court received an update today that capacity on the county's pre-trial bond program, which was designed to keep some offenders out of county jail.

Between April 1 and Dec. 31, 2016, 63 offenders in the county—including 43 people who committed felonies and 20 who committed either a misdemeanor or a combination of misdemeanors and felonies—entered the pre-trial bond program.

Participants are required to follow certain conditions, Program Administrator Jason Facundo said. Conditions include remaining drug- and alcohol-free while going through the program, undergoing random alcohol and drug tests, reporting to a probation officer at least once per month, paying certain fees, updating their bond officer with address and employment changes, attending court dates, and abstaining from committing any criminal acts.

Offenders who have committed violent or sexual crimes are not eligible for the program, Facundo said.

Among the 63 people who entered the program last year, 47 successfully completed it or are on track to complete it, Facundo said. The 16 who violated the conditions of their bond had the bond revoked and a warrant was issued for their arrest.

Keeping those 63 inmates in the county jail for 90 days would have cost Hays County $369,000, Facundo said.

The county jail, which will get a facelift and expansion using bond funds approved by voters in November, is at capacity, so keeping out inmates who do not need to be locked up in the facility has become a priority, officials said.

“This is very exciting news,” Commissioner Will Conley said. “Our district judges, sheriff’s office, [district attorney’s] office and our justice system as a whole—we worked very hard together as a team of elected officials and departments to find efficiencies within our justice system. I really looked forward to seeing this in effect for a full year and seeing the types of numbers we can generate.”

Conley said the program could potentially lower recidivism by ensuring qualifying offenders are able to remain employed and close to their families.

“This gives those individuals an opportunity to get back to their family,” Conley said. “It gives them an opportunity to get back to work before they get so far behind in a hole that sometimes the only option and alternative they feel they have available to themselves at that time is a life of crime.”

The pre-trial bond services began April 1, 2016, and Facundo said in its second year he would like to see an increase in the number of offenders completing the program.