Cuomo, in Bid to Help Poor, Proposes Ending Cash Bail for Minor Crimes

SummerMadness

Senior Veteran
Mar 8, 2006
18,201
11,829
✟331,677.00
Faith
Catholic
Cuomo, in Bid to Help Poor, Proposes Ending Cash Bail for Minor Crimes
In his State of the State address on Wednesday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York plans to outline a package of criminal justice reforms. Credit Nathaniel Brooks for The New York Times
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo plans to ask the New York State Legislature to eliminate cash bail for many crimes and to speed up the disclosure of evidence in trials as part of a package of proposals intended make the criminal justice system fairer for indigent defendants, his aides said.

The governor plans to outline the proposals on Wednesday in his State of the State address, as lawmakers convene in Albany and prepare to take up a legislative agenda that is expected to focus not only on criminal justice but also on the environment and education as well.
 

trunks2k

Contributor
Jan 26, 2004
11,369
3,520
41
✟270,241.00
Faith
Humanist
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
For minor crimes, bail is less than the cost of jailing someone until their court date- so what is even the point? I only want to jail violent criminals anyway.
They wouldn't be jailed until their court date. It'd essentially be "free" bail with an additional fine/punishment for failing to show up to court.

People are not likely to skip out on a court date for a minor crime, the threat of a harsh punishment for failing to show up is generally enough to make people show up. So requiring cash to get out on bail is generally unnecessary to begin with.

Then you gotta look at the effect cash bail can have on people. If you're poor, you can't afford that $500 directly out of pocket to get out on bail ASAP. It can take time to get that money together, in the meantime you're in jail which could mean you are missing work which means at least lost pay (possibly lost job). If they go to a bail bondsman, they are spending at least $50 that they will never see again even if they were totally innocent. That could be a good chunk of change for them.

EDIT: After re-reading your comment I realize it could have been meant as why require cash bail in the first place, why haven't they always been out on bail for free? If that's the case, it's because the money put up for bail is supposed to ensure that they actually show up to court and certain regions are starting to realize how unnecessary and unfair that system is.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0

PreviouslySeeking...

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2017
646
680
49
Seattle
✟85,757.00
Country
United States
Faith
Deist
Marital Status
Married
They wouldn't be jailed until their court date. It'd essentially be "free" bail with an additional fine/punishment for failing to show up to court.

I understand that, my point was poorly stated. Jailing someone for a low level, non violent crime because they couldn't pay bail never made sense to me. It was always a waste of public funds
 
Upvote 0

trunks2k

Contributor
Jan 26, 2004
11,369
3,520
41
✟270,241.00
Faith
Humanist
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
I understand that, my point was poorly stated. Jailing someone for a low level, non violent crime because they couldn't pay bail never made sense to me. It was always a waste of public funds
Yes, I realized I likely misunderstood your comment and made an edit.
 
Upvote 0