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I think the argument is largely: more of the people who can’t afford bail are stuck in that situation because the judge believes the accused is a danger to the

I think the argument is largely: more of the people who can’t afford bail are stuck in that situation because the judge believes the accused is a danger to the public than because they’re poor, so no reform will convince those judges to release said accused prior to their trial. I agree that it’s extremely weird that we do this song and dance where we misuse the bail system to lock up those judged to be a danger to society. We should just deny those people bail, and offer the rest a fair bail amount to encourage their return. FWIW: I think the fact that bail reform is forcing judges to merely deny bail for dangerous cases is a good thing. Being more clear about what’s happening and why is a good thing, especially in the legal system.

rootw0rm 8y ago
part of the problem is people get overcharged. my gf fucked up and did some heavy shit, but when they interrogated me and I didn't rat her out, they responded by charging me with every bullshit thing they could think of. and ... every one of those charges that lands helps advance the career of the DA, it's perverse. even if some of the bullshit charges are dropped by arraignment, you're still likely to have others you're fighting. on top of that there's extreme pressure to waive your right to a speedy trial so that your lawyer has a chance to review evidence.
- village-idiot 8y ago
  Yeah, the criminal justice system in the US is in need of a deep overhaul. The fact that trials take months to start is a large part of the issue. I just don’t see evidence that cash bail is really the most pressing issue in the system atm. DA’s tipping off the media for perp walks, crooked cops, racist juries, and a slow and expensive system all take higher priority in my book.