<![CDATA[KOKOMO, Ind.  —  Howard County has started sending text messages to criminal defendants to remind them about their upcoming court hearings.
The county sends defendants a text message five days before their next court hearing, and a reminder text one day before that hearing.
It appears that other counties have seen a decrease in “failures to appear” for court hearings.
Authorities hope the texting service that began in February can hold down the county jail's population and reduce the resources law enforcement must devote to tracking down people who miss court appearances.
 
 
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash]]>