In the guise of "Bail reform," New York state has implemented new policies that make it harder to keep defendants-including those with long criminal histories-locked up before trial.
Whether someone is released pending trial should be determined by whether he's a threat to the community or a flight risk, not by whether he can afford to post bail.
"The new law prevents judges from ordering most criminal suspects jailed, or even requiring them to post bail, no matter how clear a threat to public safety they pose," wrote the New York Post editorial board.
Since the law took effect last month, hardly a day goes by without a story in the local media about a crime committed by someone who should have been in police custody but was released due to bail reform.
Four hours after an ex-convict was charged with robbing a bank in Manhattan and released without bail, he allegedly robbed another bank in Brooklyn.
A man on Long Island with a history of drunken-driving convictions was arrested twice and released both times without bail inside of a two-week period-and the second time was after a crash that killed someone.
In San Francisco, where a new mayor just ended cash bail, residents have been complaining about a recent spike in car break-ins in Safeway parking lots.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/empty-prisons-mean-dangerous-streets-11580859643
Whether someone is released pending trial should be determined by whether he's a threat to the community or a flight risk, not by whether he can afford to post bail.
"The new law prevents judges from ordering most criminal suspects jailed, or even requiring them to post bail, no matter how clear a threat to public safety they pose," wrote the New York Post editorial board.
Since the law took effect last month, hardly a day goes by without a story in the local media about a crime committed by someone who should have been in police custody but was released due to bail reform.
Four hours after an ex-convict was charged with robbing a bank in Manhattan and released without bail, he allegedly robbed another bank in Brooklyn.
A man on Long Island with a history of drunken-driving convictions was arrested twice and released both times without bail inside of a two-week period-and the second time was after a crash that killed someone.
In San Francisco, where a new mayor just ended cash bail, residents have been complaining about a recent spike in car break-ins in Safeway parking lots.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/empty-prisons-mean-dangerous-streets-11580859643
No comments:
Post a Comment