Eight states have introduced legislation to eliminate cash bail for nonviolent criminal offenses, joining a growing national movement to reform pretrial detention practices. Advocates argue that cash bail disproportionately punishes the poor.
Under the proposed laws, judges would use risk assessment tools to determine whether defendants should be released pending trial. Opponents worry that the tools could introduce algorithmic bias into the justice system.
Early data from states that have already implemented similar reforms shows no significant increase in failure-to-appear rates, bolstering the case for broader adoption.
