The American Civil Liberties Union is just one of the influential organizations calling for significant reform of the U.S. bail system. The system, as it works now, punishes low-income defendants and those living in poverty while allowing wealthier men and women to obtain their release before trial. One option some defendants find helpful is a service for Bail Bonding in Dakota County MN.
The High Cost to Taxpayers
As far back as 1964, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy declared the bail system to be cruel and unjust. The attorney noted the high cost to taxpayers of keeping defendants in jail before trial. A 2018 article in Pacific Standard reported that pretrial incarceration costs taxpayers $15 billion every year.
A large majority of defendants being held are not charged with violent crimes or serious felony offenses. They simply cannot afford to pay a relatively small amount of cash bail even though that cash is refunded when the case ends. Some defendants may be able to receive help from bail bonding organizations that have Local agents 24 hours 7 days a week.
Undermining the Right to a Fair Trial
Mr. Kennedy also pointed out that bail restricts a defendant’s ability to receive a fair trial. There are definitive factors relating to this problem.
For one thing, defendants locked behind bars often are very eager to accept a plea bargain. They want to get out as soon as possible as their job is at risk and they aren’t getting paid for the days they don’t work. An agency providing Bail Bonding in Dakota County MN can help these men and women regain freedom as long as they can afford the service fee. A bond is posted with the court that substitutes for cash bail. Now, the person has more time to weigh options and work with a public defender on the case.
State governments and other jurisdictions are slowly introducing legal bills and approving legislation to reform the bail system. In the meantime, organizations like Midwest Bonding help defendants in states that have these agencies available.
