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Bail Reform

25
Mar
Part 4: The Business of Bail Reform - Who Profits When Commercial Bail Dies

Part 4: The Business of Bail Reform - Who Profits When Commercial Bail Dies

Arnold Ventures has invested $142 million in a wide range of criminal justice reforms since 2011, including $48 million for pretrial justice through the National Partnership for Pretrial Justice.
1 min read
24
Mar
Bail Reform, Cashless Bail versus Financially secured release

Bail Reform and Pretrial Release: Why Serious Crimes Demand Financially Secured Bonds — Not Cashless Bail

In the heated bail reform debate on the topic of pretrial release, the recent article “Bail That Fits the Case: Why Serious Crimes Demand Serious Bond Consideration”, Cary Carlisle, President of the Florida Bail Agents Association, makes a compelling case...
2 min read
24
Mar
Bail Reform's Expensive Promise of "Fairness"

Bail Reform's Expensive Promise of "Fairness"

In the ongoing debate surrounding bail reform and pretrial release, many jurisdictions have shifted away from traditional financially secured bail bonds toward court-supervised pretrial release programs that emphasize “fairness”...
2 min read
20
Mar
Part 3: The Business of Bail Reform Series - Who Profits When Commercial Bail Dies

Part 3: The Business of Bail Reform Series - Who Profits When Commercial Bail Dies

The latest article in the Business of Bail Reform Series by JL Fullerton, covers electronic monitoring. When Illinois became the first state to eliminate all forms of secured bail in September 2023, the Office of Statewide Pretrial Services...
2 min read
19
Mar
Preventing a Failure to Appear Involves More Than Just a Text Message

Preventing a Failure to Appear Involves More Than Just a Text Message

Bail reform proponents have recently been focusing a lot of their articles and online narrative on the effective nature of text messages.  In their opinion, if you want to get someone who is accused of a crime to show up for court all you need to do is send them a text message.
2 min read
16
Mar
The Holly Act: Emphasizing Accountability and Putting a Stop to Low-Bonds in Ohio

The Holly Act: Emphasizing Accountability and Putting a Stop to Low-Bonds in Ohio

Last summer, a violent street brawl in downtown Cincinnati gained national attention through viral videos, leaving several people injured—including Holly, an innocent bystander who was knocked unconscious.
2 min read
16
Mar
The Prison Policy Initiative's War on Crime Victims

The Prison Policy Initiative's War on Crime Victims

For years, this so called “non-partisan” group, and its broad network of other like-minded activist organizations have organized and focused their efforts on promoting bail reform, cashless bail and anti-crime victim policies.
3 min read
12
Mar
Why are Charitable Bail Funds Against Ensuring the Appearance of the Accused with a Financial Guarantee?

Why are Charitable Bail Funds Against Ensuring the Appearance of the Accused with a Financial Guarantee?

In the ongoing debate surrounding bail reform, charitable bail funds and their advocates have flooded media outlets with claims that financially secured surety bonds are ineffective for pretrial release.
2 min read
12
Mar
The Business of Bail Reform: Who Profits When Commercial Bail Dies

The Business of Bail Reform: Who Profits When Commercial Bail Dies

The world's largest private prison company is one of bail reform's biggest advocates. That fact alone should prompt scrutiny. BI Incorporated, owned by GEO Group (acquired for $415 million in 2011), explicitly discusses bail reform as a business opportunity.
1 min read
10
Mar
Warning Washington: Learn From the Mistakes of Philadelphia and the Failings of 10% Deposit Bail

Warning Washington: Learn From the Mistakes of Philadelphia and the Failings of 10% Deposit Bail

History has shown us that this approach is ineffective. In addition to providing an instant 90% discount on bail, it also creates uncollectible debts, incentivizes flight from justice, and undermines public safety without the oversight of commercial bondsmen.
2 min read