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Typical bails are so small already that I can't seem to get riled up over this particular "injustice". An assault and battery charge will generally get you a $
by cloakandswagger 9y ago
Typical bails are so small already that I can't seem to get riled up over this particular "injustice".
An assault and battery charge will generally get you a $10K bail. Assuming the typical bondsman charges 10%, that's a measly $1,000 to be walking the streets again after assaulting someone.
I can already hear the stampede of justice troopers coming to tell me that $1,000 of emergency funds is too much to ask of your average accused criminal. How many of you would be amenable to say, a $100 charge for an ankle bracelet? Or a work-release program that allows them to attend work while waiting for trial?
- codefined 9y ago> again after assaulting someone. They haven't been to court yet, they might be innocent.
- cloakandswagger 9y agoTrue, but it's more likely they're guilty. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conviction_rate#cite_note-5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conviction_rate#cite_note-5
- sincerely 9y agooh dear. the presumption of innocence is an international human right. justice-by-statistics is an extremely bad idea.
- cloakandswagger 9y agoAt the core of this is the old, philosophical question of, "Is it better to let one hundred criminals go free if it means not wrongfully convicting one innocent man?" Considering that we are talking about bail (meaning 1-2 weeks in jail, not a lifetime in prison) and we have justice systems that are right 80-90% of the time, I lean towards the more pragmatic statistical approach. The "internationally recognized human right" thing seems like a thought terminating cliche, not sure why that should be the end of the discussion.
- sincerely 9y agoi do not think you understand the reality of someone living, for instance, paycheck-to-paycheck. "1-2 weeks in jail", which you seem to suggest is not that big of a deal, is a lost job and unpaid rent, to say nothing of other responsibilities (for instance, children or pets). does this seem like a reasonable consequence for being merely accused of a crime? i brought up the human rights angle because your line of thought appears to run counter to article 11 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights...but it's interesting that you can dismiss that by calling it a "cliche".
- cloakandswagger 9y agoSo what if my thoughts run counter to some UN document? It's interesting that you evoke it in such a religious manner, as if that alone should shut out any discussion.
- bfuller 9y agoSo what if your thoughts run counter to the universal declaration of human rights? Are you serious?
- dragonwriter 9y agoThat's the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” not “UN Declaration of Human Rights”.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- s73ver_ 9y agoSo someone should have to spend 1-2 weeks in jail, thus losing their job, losing their ability to pay rent, so likely losing their house, despite the fact that it has not been proven that they've done anything?
- bfuller 9y agoIt's not always 1-2 weeks, it can be months.
- tbrownaw 9y agostampede of justice troopers coming to tell me that $1,000 of emergency funds is too much The first search result I got back says that median retirement savings are <$500 for youngish people. That $1k is only "small" for us rich folk.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- gowld 9y agoSo, 2 weeks of wage income is a fair price to pay before you even face your accuser?
- bfuller 9y agoThis post stinks of classism. There are people who have been in jail without trial for 6+ months because they can't afford bail. In fact your arrogant assertion that this isn't injustice is fucking offensive. I am having trouble not attacking you personally because of how ignorant you came off in this post.