Who is in Jail and Why?

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There is a false public perception that jails across the country are overcrowded with people who have committed non-violent crimes and are in prison simply because they cannot afford bail.

Non-violent crimes include those that do not involve force or cause injury to an individual. Economic damage and loss to an individual determine the seriousness of the non-violent crime and often involve a property crime such as robbery or theft. Prostitution, drug, and alcohol-related offenses, and other white-collar crimes are also considered non-violent.

Violent crimes involve force and injury to an individual, with the seriousness determined by the degree of physical harm caused or the type of weapon used. Examples of violent crimes include murder, sexual assault, assault and battery, false imprisonment, domestic violence, and robbery.

According to the 2019 report from the Prison Policy Initiative, over 460,000 individuals held in jails across the country have not been convicted of a crime. Those charged with violent crimes make up most of this population, followed by drug and property crime arrests.

An arrest by law enforcement is a serious matter because it takes away someone’s fundamental right to freedom. Therefore, there are procedures law enforcement must follow for a legal arrest. A law enforcement officer must have personally observed a crime to be arrested for a crime. The officer has probable cause to believe a person committed a crime, or the officer has an arrest warrant issued by a judge.

Does The Criminal Justice System Punish Poverty?

The debate around bail reform in this country centers on the concept that people in jails and prisons are overwhelmingly poor compared to the overall population. Thus, the criminal justice system punishes poverty, beginning with the cost of bail.

According to The Poverty-Crime Connection, studies show that people resort to crime only if they determine that the potential benefits outweigh the cost or consequences of committing it. Therefore, impoverished people are more likely to commit burglary, robbery, or theft. In addition, neighborhoods where the poor are concentrated are more prone to high crime rates, and poor residents are the most common victims of crimes.

Proponents of bail reform continue to lead misguided efforts to release accused criminals on unsecured release methods that encourage unaccountable outcomes. As a result, repeat and dangerous criminals are being released into the neighborhoods that proponents of bail reform claim they represent – the poor and the indigent. Such difficult criminal justice reforms enable habitual offenders and disclaim the rights of victims and law-abiding citizens.

The commercial bail industry guarantees the appearance of a defendant in court. It assumes the financial risk if the defendant fails to appear. The industry does not make release decisions or set bail amounts – the court does. Most of the industry agrees that any release decision should be based on a defendant’s criminal history, including prior failures to appear and any danger posed to the community. The industry is user-funded and not taxpayer-funded.

We Help People Get Out Of Jail Every Day

Bail agents assist individuals daily to gain freedom and return to their families, jobs, and community. We make it possible for defendants with large bonds based on their offense and criminal history to be released for a small non-refundable fee, a fraction of the total amount of the bond. Likewise, those with smaller bonds can also be bail agents’ “bread and butter” businesses.

Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. However, we all wish to raise our families in a safe environment. Therefore, we expect those who choose to commit a crime will face the consequences of that action, whether poor or wealthy.

Victims of crime should not be re-victimized by the unaccountable release of defendants who have committed a crime against them. We all want justice served and to live and work in our communities without fear.

From the very beginning, the institution of bail has been built around the fact that not everybody will have enough resources to post the amount of bail required. That’s inherent in the concept of bail, and courts have consistently rejected the argument that the Eighth Amendment, the excessive bail provision, gives someone the right to affordable bail.

The commercial bail industry has a long and historic partnership in the criminal justice system. The purpose of bail is to ensure a defendant’s appearance in court. Commercial bail has done this for generations in the U.S. with an outstanding record of accountability at no cost to the taxpayer. It is a system that protects our communities and should continue to do so.

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Of course, if you find yourself outside of Georgia, you can still trust several other reliable bail companies, including ABC Bail Bonds. ABC Bail Bonds has served up Berks County bail bonds for decades and bail bonds for most of Georgia. With their trusted service, you can find the help you need at ABC Bail Bonds.