Bail Fail: Why the U.S. Should End the Practice of Using Money for Bail

The Justice Policy Institute released a new report regarding the United States’ policy of money bails, i.e. the demanding of a monetary sum in exchange for release from jail. According to “Bail Fail: Why the U.S. Should End the Practice of Using Money for Bail,” money bails tend to discriminate against those who earn low incomes, and those who cannot afford bail may lose their jobs and businesses.

The Justice Policy Institute released a new report regarding the United States’ policy of money bails, i.e. the demanding of a monetary sum in exchange for release from jail. According to “Bail Fail: Why the U.S. Should End the Practice of Using Money for Bail,” money bails tend to discriminate against those who earn low incomes, and those who cannot afford bail may lose their jobs and businesses. Taxpayers are also experiencing the negative effects of money bail; in 2011, the detainment of offenders in county jail cost taxpayers approximately $9 billion. To read more about the effects of money bail and its alternatives, click here to check out the report.