End Cash Bail in Michigan
The Issue
Cash Bail is used as a guarantee that a defendant will return to court for future hearings or a trial. If the defendant makes all necessary court appearance the money is returned. In most cases a standard bail amount is set for any alleged offense, but judges have the discretion to raise or lower it. If a defendant cannot afford to pay bail or bond they are forced to await their trial in jail.
Bail practices are frequently discriminatory, with Black and Latino men assessed higher bail amounts than white men for similar crimes by 35 and 19 percent on average, respectively.
Our goal is to follow in the footsteps of Philadelphia and Illinois and Washtenaw County and eliminate the Cash Bail system here in the state of Michigan.
Resources:
https://www.aclumich.org/en/cases/bail-reform
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The Issue
Cash Bail is used as a guarantee that a defendant will return to court for future hearings or a trial. If the defendant makes all necessary court appearance the money is returned. In most cases a standard bail amount is set for any alleged offense, but judges have the discretion to raise or lower it. If a defendant cannot afford to pay bail or bond they are forced to await their trial in jail.
Bail practices are frequently discriminatory, with Black and Latino men assessed higher bail amounts than white men for similar crimes by 35 and 19 percent on average, respectively.
Our goal is to follow in the footsteps of Philadelphia and Illinois and Washtenaw County and eliminate the Cash Bail system here in the state of Michigan.
Resources:
https://www.aclumich.org/en/cases/bail-reform
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Petition created on February 25, 2021