The Top 10 Bail Stats of All Time
Part 1 (#10 through #6)
If you ever find yourself in the position of having to explain why financially secured release is the most effective form of pretrial release to someone, could you? Do you have the facts and the data at your fingertips? Could you make the arguments that would convince a naysayer? Could you debate a rabid bail reform activists and win?
Well, we think every bail agent should be able to defend their profession in the face of doubt. So, we have put together a list of what we think the top 10 bail facts are that every bail agent should know. Below are numbers 10 through 6.
#10. Surety Bail Saves Dallas County Money by Getting Defendants to Court
In Dallas County, based on an FTA cost of $1,775 per FTA, bail agents saved the county over $7.6 million in felony cases and $3.5 million in misdemeanor cases by getting defendants to court.
#9. Nationally, Surety Bail Protects the Public by Getting Defendants Back in Custody
According the Bureau of Justice Statistics only 3–4% of defendants released on surety bonds remained fugitives after one year. For defendants released on unsecured bonds, their fugitive rate after a year was 10%, 233% higher than surety bonds.
#8. In Dallas, Texas, Surety Bail Keeps the Wheels of Justice Turning by Getting Defendants to Court
According to Dr. Robert Morris, commercial bonds produced the lowest FTA rates versus all other forms of pretrial release including cash, attorney bonds and pretrial-services releases.
#7. In California, Surety Bail Outperforms Free Release Every Time
Free releases had a 60% greater FTA rate than surety bonds in California’s large urban counties.
#6. Nationally, Unsecured Bail Is Over 50% Less Effective Than Secured Bail
Unsecured bonds showed a 30% FTA rate and emergency releases 45% in the national BJS study, substantially higher than surety’s 18%.
Remember these five bail facts and you will be better prepared to not only be the most interesting person in the room and the life of every cocktail party, but more importantly you will be able to debate the effectiveness of secured release against any bail reform advocate or legislator.
Ready for the top five? Continue with bail facts #5 through #1 in Part 2.