Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
If someone commits a crime and is afforded the opportunity to be released on bail, wouldn’t it be foolish to remove the one piece of the puzzle that holds that person accountable; the one reason to show up for their court date or better yet, not commit an additional crime? After all, that person already proved themselves untrustworthy. Pulling the plug on bail opens up a fearful opportunity for those who have already shown disregard for the law and the safety of those around them.
There has been much discussion amongst policymakers nationwide to reform the bail system, but the truth is, the dangers of this reform land directly on the American people.
Basing violent criminals’ release on statistics rather than their own track record, allowing temporary “home monitoring” by local agencies and proposing tax payer funded bail are all ideas currently being tested and decided on by states all over the U.S. It’s an issue that many Americans have not been made aware.
What does this mean for the safety of the law-abiding citizens? While the first two proposals would result in the unaccountable release of non-violent and possibly violent criminals as they await trial, the third proposal mentioned would include you paying for it.
All in all, when a criminal is released on bail, they carry the burden and accountability of repayment. In addition, the agent posting the bail bond is able to monitor and supervise the defendant that has been released. By removing the requirement for bail, you remove both of these factors and open the door for a flight risk, additional crimes and the fear for public safety.