cash bail reform
Last year’s cash bail amendment from lawmakers put Ohio’s entire pretrial release system in jeopardy
The cash bail amendment last year brought by Ohio lawmakers and approved in November directing judges to weigh public safety when setting cash bail inadvertently undermined the state’s entire bail system. Effectively every legal interest — prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, the Ohio Bar Association, sheriffs, and the ACLU — agree on the proper course of […]
Bail reformers call on familiar evidence to advocate against reliance on cash bail
The day after Ohio House leaders put the brakes on cash bail-centric legislation, a different, long-simmering bail reform measure got it’s third hearing in committee. The measures offer alternative approaches to protecting public safety, and their supporters are invoking some of the same cases to make their point. When the proponents of the cash bail […]
House committee approves ‘public safety’ measures that could expand cash bail in Ohio
The House criminal justice committee passed two measures Wednesday that could lead to a greater reliance on cash bail. Meanwhile, lawmakers amended a different bail reform measure to set explicit limits on the calculation of cash bail. Although the proposals appear to be at cross-purposes, advocates are hoping the two could work together. The proposals […]
Measure expanding reliance on cash bail gets first hearing in the Senate
The Attorney General-backed bid to change limits on cash bail got its first hearing in the Ohio Senate Tuesday. The effort comes as a direct response to a state supreme court ruling and would require a constitutional amendment to take effect. The purpose of bail is to ensure defendants return to court for their trial […]
‘Public safety’ measures that could expand cash bail racing through House
Legislation meant to reverse a state supreme court decision on how judges set bail is progressing rapidly in the Ohio House. The measures could make their way to the floor this week, despite being introduced just 10 days ago. The plan would direct judges to weigh public safety when determining the dollar value for bail. […]
Bail reform would make Ohio healthier and safer
For years Ohioans have watched states from Kentucky to New Jersey to Colorado and many in between pass legislation to modernize their bail systems. While public conversation and stakeholder interest has been high, Ohio hasn’t crossed the finish line. But that doesn’t mean we can’t, and it’s time to remember what bail reform would actually do […]
Ohio’s cash bail rules create imbalance in equity and justice
‘Innocent until proven guilty’ is one the central tenets of this country’s legal and criminal justice systems, but this isn’t the reality for everyone. Two-thirds of the jail population, and a quarter of the incarcerated population, in the U.S. are pretrial detainees, or people who haven’t been convicted of a crime. The high number of […]