The decision to impose financial bail can have an impact on the city’s jail costs, the ability of the court system to establish truth and an individual’s work, family, housing…
Bail does serve a purpose: preventing defendants from skipping court. But in legislatures and courthouses, there’s political pressure to also use it to punish.
Crucial decisions in the city’s justice system are made under difficult circumstances—at overcrowded arraignment courts where judges, prosecutors and defense lawyers operate with little information and scarce time.
Many people in New York City’s jails today are behind bars only because they cannot afford the very low bail set in their minor criminal cases. This raises concerns about…
