Proposition 25 is the culmination of a long fight over the bail system in California. A win for the “Yes” vote would uphold a law that abolishes cash bail and replaces it with a system that uses “risk assessment” algorithms to help judges decide whether to keep people locked up before trial. A win for the “No” vote would stop these changes and keep cash bail in place.
The bail industry is in the “No” camp, but so are some progressive groups who think this new system would also be unjust and want the state legislature to go back to the drawing board on bail reform. That’s why the campaign around Proposition 25 isn’t just about the merits of cash bail — it’s about whether or not this is the state’s best chance to end it for good.
Guest: Marisa Lagos, KQED politics correspondent and co-host of the Political Breakdown podcast
Click here to check out KQED’s California Voter Guide, which includes information on statewide propositions, local measures, and voting.