Nearly 5,000 turn themselves in during Camden amnesty program

Inquirer staff writer Allison Steele and the Associated Press report:

Nearly 5,000 people turned themselves in during Camden's four-day Fugitive Safe Surrender program, authorities said this morning. The numbers aren't finalized, but 2,245 people were processed from last Wednesday through Saturday, according to U.S. Marshal James Plousis. Another 1,563 people have not yet been processed through the system, and were given vouchers because organizers did not have time to process them last week. Those people will appear in court hearings next month.

Plousis says the four-day event greatly exceeded expectations.

Camden was the 12th city to host the national program. Those who surrendered made Camden's initiative the second largest in the program's history, behind only Detroit.
Some 682 had their cases resolved the day they surrendered. Eighty-three who surrendered at Antioch Baptist Church had no active warrants against them, and nine people were arrested. 
Contact staff writer Allison Steele at 856-779-3838 or asteele@phillynews.com

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