JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ark. — A Jefferson County man credits a county program called “Amnesty Days” – with helping him with get rid of an active warrant.
On this field in the back of Watson Chapel High School, you can spot Gregory Dunbar. Helping these players with their footwork, the same way he says Jefferson County’s amnesty program is helping him get back on his feet.
“I went to court this morning to take care of an old warrant,” says Greg Dunbar. “She said it’s going to get taken care of, it’s going to get extended, you don’t have to pay anything up front.”
Jefferson County says this is the second year they’re taking part in this initiative. “The judge here in Jefferson County was trying to influx the amount of outstanding warrants we have here in the county for obvious reasons,” says Dunbar.
Major Lafayette Woods says the county decided to do something about issues with the amount of jail space. That’s when they came up with a plan for people to have their misdemeanor arrest warrants dismissed. “The ones who have had fines, but have been able to keep up paying those fines because they maybe lost a job,” says Woods. Putting many people – like Dunbar – in a good place to make monthly or quarterly payments toward getting rid of fines. “The young people in trouble that have little traffic fines it will help them out , it will help them out a lot,” says Dunbar.
The last day for this amnesty program is Friday, July 27. Major Woods is urging people to get to the Jefferson County courthouse from 8:30 a-m to 5 p-m in order to take advantage of this program.
