Bail Reform

07
Apr
How Bail Reform Creates Selective Enforcement of the Law and Ultimately Leads to Justice for No One

How Bail Reform Creates Selective Enforcement of the Law and Ultimately Leads to Justice for No One

Once citizens believe enforcement decisions are driven more by ideology than by consistent principle, public trust collapses, cynicism grows, and the social contract fractures.
2 min read
07
Apr
PART 6: The Business of Bail Reform - Who Profits When Commercial Bail Dies

PART 6: The Business of Bail Reform - Who Profits When Commercial Bail Dies

The pretrial drug testing industry—led by Averhealth, Cordant Health Solutions, and Redwood Toxicology Laboratory—has grown alongside bail reform, with 77% of pretrial programs including drug testing by 2009, and drug court testing increasing 11.7% in 2023 alone.
1 min read
06
Apr
Hawaii Bail Reform Bill Faces Sharp Criticism

Hawaii Bail Reform Bill Faces Sharp Criticism

A recent opinion column in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser by John Deutzman strongly opposes Hawaii’s latest bail reform legislation, House Bill 2413, warning that the measure goes too far in reshaping Hawaii's pretrial release practices
4 min read
06
Apr
Bail Agents Step Up to Protect Families: Sounding the Alarm on Sophisticated Jail Scams and Sharing Proven Ways to Stay Safe

Bail Agents Step Up to Protect Families: Sounding the Alarm on Sophisticated Jail Scams and Sharing Proven Ways to Stay Safe

All over the country, people are becoming the victims of sophisticated jail scams. In usual fashion, when there is something negatively impacting or threatening the jurisdiction's criminal justice system, the first ones to speak up and warn the public are licensed bail bondsmen.
3 min read
04
Apr
Washington’s Proposed Bail “Reforms” Would Sacrifice Public Safety for Ideology

Washington’s Proposed Bail “Reforms” Would Sacrifice Public Safety for Ideology

In a recent opinion piece in the Seattle Times, David Montes of the ACLU of Washington and Maddisson Alexander of Civil Standard, argue that cash bail is a discriminatory tool that punishes poverty and violates the presumption of innocence.
4 min read
01
Apr
PART 5: Washington Bail Reform

PART 5: Washington Bail Reform

This article focuses on the fact that not once in their arguments for completely altering the pretrial release process do the proponents mention the impact that these changes would have on victims
4 min read
31
Mar
PART 4: Washington Bail Reform

PART 4: Washington Bail Reform

The proposed overhaul of Washington State's bail rules cites New York and Illinois as jurisdictions that have successfully reformed their pretrial systems. But a closer look at what actually happened in both states tells a more complicated story.
4 min read
30
Mar
PART 5: The Business of Bail Reform - Who Profits When Commercial Bail Dies

PART 5: The Business of Bail Reform - Who Profits When Commercial Bail Dies

These charitable bail funds marketed themselves as a mechanism by which peaceful protestors could be bailed out. Unfortunately, what ended up happening was that these charitable bail funds didn't just bail out protestors...they bailed out anyone they could for any crime.
2 min read
30
Mar
PART 3 of 5 - Washington State Bail Reform

PART 3 of 5 - Washington State Bail Reform

So, the question becomes, why in the world would Washington State consider such a substantial rule change based on a failed Vermont policy?
3 min read
29
Mar
PART 2 of 5 - Washington State Bail Reform

PART 2 of 5 - Washington State Bail Reform

A single philanthropic funder bankrolled the advocacy groups whose reports are now cited as "independent research" in the GR9 Cover Sheet filed with the Washington Supreme Court.
3 min read