End cash bail

The bail system creates two justice sytems. One for the rich and one for the poor.

If you can't pay bail, it means you rot in jail, sometimes for years, before any trial. You could be 100% innocent and still be in jail for years.

But if you got money, and you can pay bail, you go free.

Nothing just about this. Onyl injustice.

If the judge thinks you are not a danger to society, set the man free. If you are a danger, lock him up. No more $$$$$ bail.

 

I think bail should be based on a percentage of income. The same with speeding tickets.

 

if someone is safe to be released, why charge them money at all?????

safe? set them free.

dangerous? lock up.

seems simple to me

 

Im OK with this.

 

well, in theory a person charged with a crime should be deemed and treated as innocent until proven guilty so there really isn't a need or right to jail someone until they're found guilty

 

Judge makes a determination if the indicted person is safe to go free or not.

if he feels the suspect is too dangerous, no bail is set and he must stay in jail.

 

I don't think bail is primarily about safety. I think it is about risk to flee.

If they are not safe to be released, I don't think any competent judge will release them on bail.

But bail is needed to make sure that you have enough incentive to return to court and not run for it.

 

it also creates a two-tiered justice system, where many innocent men rot in jail, often for years...simply cause they don't have $5,000 for bail.

 

Bail is nothing compared to the cost of a lawyer.

 

Believe or not I actually agree with Ronstar. If you aren't a threat to society or a flight risk why do you have to put up a bail ?

But there's is a draw back, all black and Latino gang bangers are a threat to society, so no bail.

All former convicted violent criminals are a threat to society, so no bail.

All illegal aliens and non citizens immigrants are a flight risk, so no bail.

 

PT78 is correct. Bail is a way to ensure that the accused won't just disappear. Unfortunately, if you have no money to lose, then you have nothing to lose by not showing up for your hearing.

I would argue that the real problem is that county jails are notorious for bad conditions. People will plead guilty just to escape county jails so they can be sent to much more humane prisons. Since the vast majority of jail inmates are presumed innocent, it is incumbent upon a jail to provide reasonable accommodations and to treat people with a level of respect. I'm thinking something along the lines of a budget hotel room, and you can walk around the hotel, and maybe head down to the bar for a few beers if you're bored. Just keep guards at the entrance to make sure you can't walk outside on a nice day.

Basically, give people the same level of comfort that jury members get.

 

if someone is a danger, why set any bail???

if someone is not a danger, why keep him in jail?

makes no ****ing sense.

 

Do you have one single case of someone in the US rotting in jail for years before a trial?

 

https://nypost.com/2015/06/15/kid-arrested-at-17-has-been-at-rikers-awaiting-trial-for-7-years/

 

Um, that is by his own choice.

Did you read your own link?

I didn't know they could choose that by the way.

 

There's also another reason if you don't qualify for being released on your own recognizanze ( OR ) you put up money to make sure you show up to court on your court date.

 

I do remember someone who was lost in the L.A. County Jail system.

He just didn't exist in the computer system and rotted in a cell for about six months.

 

Just how much does it cost to get a cat out of jail, anyway?

 

Yes, I read the article. You asked a question, and I provided an answer.

Is it by his own choice? Yep! However, that choice was not "stay in jail or not stay in jail", so it's not really much of a choice. It's stay in jail, or be sent to prison. A lot of those guys are trying to wait things out so that witness testimony is diluted through time.

 

Deleted

 

NYC.

kid was in jail for 3 years, cause couldnt afford bail.

repeatedly beaten by staff and prisoners

was finally released, no trial or conviction.

committed suicide.

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/09/...or-3-years-without-trial-commits-suicide.html

crime against humanity, if you ask me.

 

Under equal circumstances, everyone has equal opportunity to make bail, even if they don't have equal means. Unequal outcomes are not an injustice. That's not fair, but neither is it unjust.

 

we dont live in your dream world where everyone has the same financial resources.

we have to deal with reality, and our reality is a land of rich and poor, where rich can post bail and get high-priced lawyers who can get plea bargains and timed-served sentences, while the poor rot in jail cause they can't afford bail and get **** lawyers who allow shirt convictions and long sentences.

Society may not be just but our Justice System can be, if we want it.

 

Freedom always comes at the expense of fairness.
Fairness always comes at the expense of freedom.
To the extent a system is free, it will be unfair.
To the extent a system is fair, it will not be free.

 

That's not how it works in California.

You double flush your toilet which is a no no in California and the PC water police bust you. They issue a ticket.

You show up at court and you tell the clerk you want a court trial.

The clerk tells you if you want to see a judge you have to post bail.

You ask the clerk how much is the bail ?

The clerk says the bail is the cost of the fine.

So you ask how much is the fine for double flushing the toilet ?

The clerk tells you the fine is $100, for double flushing your toilet.

Also there's a California 20% surcharge.

• State penalty assessment $100
• County penalty assessment $70
• Court facility construction penalty assessment $50
• DNA identification fund penalty assessment $50
• Emergency medical services penalty assessment $20
• Emergency medical air transportation $4
• Court operation fee $40
• Criminal conviction fee $35

That brings the total cost (bail) up to $490 for a violation that started with a fine of $100.

It got worse today, the recocquista socialist in Sacramento just raised the fines of violating California's water conservation laws to $500.

If you get caught taking a six minute shower or not having a nozzle on your hose or washing your car in the driveway... $500 fine and plus all of the surcharges and assessment fees.

And if you want to fight the ticket in court, you have to post the bail first.