South Bay sheriff offers eligible criminals way to avoid jail time during holiday season

(KRON) -- While it’s not exactly a “get out of jail free” card, authorities in the South Bay are set to offer what may be the next best thing throughout December. Next month, people with certain misdemeanor criminal warrants are being offered a chance to avoid jail time and instead receive a citation.

The program, called Operation Second Chance, is a collaboration between the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and other South Bay law enforcement agencies. “This program applies to most misdemeanor warrants, regardless of the bail amount,” the sheriff’s office said in an announcement Tuesday. “However, certain warrants are not eligible for this program.”

Warrants not included in Operation Second Chance include:

• Felony warrants
• Warrants marked “No Cite and Release”
• Any warrant involving violence, including domestic violence
• Any warrant involving a firearm
• Any warrant involving resisting arrest
• Any warrant involving giving false information to an officer

According to the sheriff’s office, individuals with qualifying warrants can visit a Santa Clara County law enforcement agency in December to receive a citation. The citations will include a “promise to appear” court date.

More than 3,500 people between 2007 and 2017 participated in Operation Second Chance to resolve warrants, officials said.

A full list of self-surrender locations and hours can be found on the Santa Clara County website.