People Get Bail
A billing system is an important tool that allows a company to keep track of the inventory and payments. It also helps businesses identify trends in sales, and can reveal which products are most popular among customers. It is important to have a well-established billing system in place to help the business grow and succeed. However, it is not necessary to use a credit card to accept payment. Money orders are an affordable alternative to credit cards and allow customers to avoid fees. In addition, money orders are not as vulnerable to fraud or other criminal activity.
In America, bail is a financial promise that a suspect will return for court hearings and trials. A judge sets the amount of bail and the defendant either pays the full amount or works with a commercial bail bondsman, who charges a non-refundable fee for the service. The majority of people held in pretrial detention can’t afford the cost of bail, and the $2 billion bail bond industry predatorily targets them, seeking to extract money via non-refundable fees from those with the fewest resources.
This system has helped contribute to the nation’s mass incarceration crisis by creating a two-tiered justice system that is biased against poor people of color. Those who can pay the required cash bail return home to their families and jobs, while those who cannot are left behind bars for the duration of their cases, which can last months and years. During this time, they lose their jobs, are separated from their children, and face the daily trauma of jail.
Why Do People Get Bail?
While some people argue that reforming bail would cause crime to increase, this claim is based on flawed logic and ignores the fact that many cities that have reduced or ended cash bail have seen decreases in crime rates. Additionally, it fails to acknowledge that rising crime is due to a combination of factors affecting all communities across the country, including economic collapse and national anxiety.
The best way to fix the problems caused by the current bail system is to end it altogether and replace it with a more evidence-based approach that ensures due process for all. To do this, courts should hold an individualized hearing to determine whether a person poses a risk of harming others or intends to flee the state or country.
Other possible remedies include addressing the challenges that low-income people face in paying for bail. For example, access to childcare and transportation are significant barriers that can prevent a person from posting bail. To address these barriers, cities can provide childcare options at the courthouse or vouchers that can be used to pay for transportation services. In addition, they can provide a range of other social services to help people stay engaged with the criminal justice system and continue to work towards a successful outcome. These solutions should be implemented alongside other criminal justice reforms, as they are critical to the success of any system.