The founding principle of the U.S. justice system is fairness, right? Innocent until proven guilty. The right to a speedy trial. That’s how it’s supposed to work in THEORY. In PRACTICE, well, check this stat out. In the U.S., right now, there are more than 450,000 people accused of a crime but not yet convicted of anything, sitting in jail cells as they wait for their trials. But, a LARGE portion of them remain behind bars simply because they can’t pay their bail. Critics think it creates a two-tiered justice system, where the rich get to go home while the poor have to stay behind bars. Those in favor of keeping bail argue that it’s effective at keeping potential criminals off the street. What do you think? Is America’s bail system fair?
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What is bail?
Bail is when you pay money to get out of jail while you wait for your trial.
How does the U.S. bail system work?
There’s no national bail system, but, in general, this is how it works. If you get arrested, a judge takes a look at your charge and has to make a decision about what to do with you until your court date. The judge has a few different options. Option 1 — you’re released on your own recognizance, which means you simply promise to return to court. That can happen if it’s a low-level offense and there’s no prior criminal history. Option 2 — the judge makes you stay in jail until your court hearing. That’s actually pretty rare and is really only used for people who are considered a danger to society. Option 3 — the judge sets bail. If you can pay it, you’re let out of jail, and if you show up to your trial, you get that money back. The idea is that you’re more likely to return if you have to cough up some cash.