Cohen & Reaves 2007: The Landmark National Study on Pretrial Release and Bail Reform

The first study in AIA Surety's "Six Most Significant Bail Studies" article series is the Cohen & Reaves (2007) Bureau of Justice Statistics report, Pretrial Release of Felony Defendants in State Courts, 1990–2004, stands as the most comprehensive analysis of pretrial release ever conducted in the United States. Using the State Court Processing Statistics program, researchers examined felony cases from 40 of the nation’s 75 largest counties across more than a decade, tracking roughly 15,000 cases per wave with weighted national estimates representing hundreds of thousands of defendants. The study’s unmatched scale, geographic breadth, and rigorous statistical controls—including multivariate logistic regression for offense type, criminal history, demographics, and bail amount—make it the definitive reference in ongoing debates about bail reform and pretrial release effectiveness.

Nearly two decades later, the Cohen & Reaves study remains the gold standard in bail reform and pretrial release discussions, cited more than 130 times and still shaping policy nationwide. Below is an excerpt from the original article on the AIA Surety website as well link to the full article.

Part 1: The Cohen & Reaves Study

The Most Comprehensive Pretrial Release Analysis Ever Conducted and Why Its Findings Remain Unrivaled

By Eric Granof

In November 2007, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) statisticians Thomas H. Cohen, Ph.D., and Brian A. Reaves, Ph.D., published what remains the definitive national study on pretrial release: Pretrial Release of Felony Defendants in State Courts, 1990–2004. Drawing on the State Court Processing Statistics (SCPS) program, the report analyzed felony cases filed in May of even-numbered years across a representative sample of 40 of the nation’s 75 largest counties.  READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE>>>