Report
Data Analysis Jail Populations Pretrial and Bail May 4, 2015
Rational and Transparent Bail Decisionmaking
Money-based bail systems do not do the job they’re supposed to do—protecting the safety of the community while the defendant’s case is pending, and assuring the appearance of the defendant in court. Instead, the practice of using money to decide pretrial release has wasted taxpayer dollars and played a significant role in contributing to the mass incarceration. This white paper outlines the problems surrounding the current cash-based bail bond process and documents current successful models for moving toward a risk-based bail process.
