Accountability Factors Kill Bail Reform Bills Around the Country
SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Bail Agents Association: 'The issue of Bail Reform in California rages on, other states like Florida and Utah have flatly rejected bail reform bills. According to the Harvard Law Review, bail reform has been disrupted with fears of violence in both New Jersey and New Mexico due to the high incidents of reoffending by criminals due to 'free release'. In Colorado, the pretrial services risk assessments (free releases) are being bypassed on weapons charges and sexual assault.
At the center of this debate in California is the Pretrial Justice Institute who has been making recommendations to Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors most recently on how to solve criminal justice issues using 'free releases'. Christopher Blaylock of the American Bail Coalition stated that the reports involve high priced consultants attending workshops as a pilot program funded by tax payers, 'in hopes criminals will be cured of their evil deeds'. Blaylock argues that pretrial services agencies were set up to help the poor and the indigent and if the jails are overcrowded with the poor, then pretrial services must not be doing their job, why would anyone give them more money? Since 1963, California Penal Code 1269c, the Bail Deviation Program (pretrial services) has been in force supplying inmate release assessments but no governmental body has held them accountable.
The bills for reform eliminate all bail, such as cash bail and bail bonds and do not leave anyone accountable for court appearances except for tax payers. Judges are eliminated from determining risk, and low level clerks using computer algorithms are making decisions about criminal release. According to Blaylock, pretrial services in El Paso, Texas had over $13,000,000 on bail judgements since 2013 and only $7,563.00 has been paid by defendants. He cites this as a reoccurring story for other states with bail reform such as New Jersey and New Mexico. Because the criminals are not being held accountable, victim and community safety has been severely compromised.
The American Bail Coalition and the California Bail Agents Association state that healthy effective reform of the criminal justice system would strive to improve the safety of both victims and communities as well as compel criminals to appear in court with the only thing that works, financial incentives like bail. The Alliance of California Judges support the cash bail system.
http://www.cbaa.com/ http://www.savebail.com/
http://www.americanbailcoalition.com/
SOURCE California Bail Agents Association
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