Bail Reform
The Fuzzy Math Behind Bail Reform
In a recent article on the AIA Surety website, cashless bail and bail reform data and claims about the effectiveness of their policies and programs are called into question.
Bail Reform
Bail Research
Part 3: The Six Most Significant Bail Studies - Dr. Robert Morris, Dallas County Pretrial Release Study (2013, 2014, 2017)
The next research study in AIA Surety's The Six Most Significant Bail Studies series is the Dallas County, Texas Pretrial Release Study by Dr. Robert Morris.
Bail Reform
Illinois’ Pretrial Fairness Act (SAFE-T Act) Is Not Delivering the “Fairer and Safer” System It Promised
It praises the elimination of money bail, the new “evidence-based” detention hearings, public defender advocacy, court reporters, and the supposed triumph of due process over “wealth-based detention.”
Legislation
H.R. 6260 - Unravelling the Failings of the Bail Reform Movement at the National Level
On May 14, 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 6260, the Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act, along party lines as part of a broader Republican-led package targeting cashless bail policies and charitable bail organizations.
Bail Research
Bail's Effectiveness Comes from the Powerful Incentives it Creates
The second study in AIA Surety's article series on the best bail studies ever conducted is the 2004 study by economists Eric Helland and Alexander Tabarrok, titled “The Fugitive: Evidence on Public Versus Private Law Enforcement from Bail Jumping.”
Bail Reform
Vera Institute's California Messaging on Bail Reform Spins Like a Top
Check out the latest article from President of the Mississippi Bail Agents Association, Michael Morrison, criticizing the Vera Institute and the anti-surety movement for promoting a narrative that every bail decision in California amounts to “wealth-based detention.”
Bail Reform
Congressional Testimony on Federal Bail Reform: A Misleading Portrait of Liberty vs. Reality
While his critique of wealth-based detention is a common talking point in bail reform debate and is expected from someone like Raskin, the facts about cashless bail, the federal system and their effectiveness tell a very different story.
Legislation
SB 1026 Held up in Committee: A Win for Secured Bail in California’s Bail Reform and Pretrial Release Debate
The recent decision to hold California Senate Bill 1026 (SB 1026) in committee represents a significant victory for secured release and effective pretrial release practices.
Bail Research
Part 1 – The Six Most Significant Bail Studies Ever Conducted
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...
Legislation
Did the California Supreme Court Just “Remake” the State’s Bail System...Hardly
In a recent article entitled, Did the California Supreme Court Just Remake the State’s Bail System, the Marshall Project makes the case that a new ruling by California’s Supreme Court will remake the state’s bail system
Bail Research
Every Criminal Justice Stakeholder Should Know About These Six Bail Studies
There have been many studies done over the past several decades on the effectiveness of bail. From government studies to academic studies to independent studies, one thing has always been consistent, the results.
Bail Reform
Why California Needs Bail: Secured Release Is Essential for Victim Safety and Justice
In her recent article, "Why California Needs Bail," bail industry veteran Susan Shapiro, discusses the ongoing question of cashless bail vs. secured release.