Judges from throughout the country are reportedly saying they believe commercial bail continues to be the most effective option when it comes to pretrial release.
A recent survey conducted found that more than 90% of judges polled believe bail continues to play an integral part within the criminal justice system. In addition, more than 95% of respondents cited a stronger confidence a defendant released via commercial bail would show up for mandatory court appearances. They went onto say that confidence was markedly reduced when it came to defendants released via pretrial services or on their own recognizance (OR).
Studies have consistently shown that the skip rate for defendants released via commercial bail is far less than those released through other means. This is largely due to the need for a friend or family member to cosign the bail bonds paperwork and take responsibility the defendant will go to court. If the defendant fails to appear and cannot be returned to the system within 180 days, the person who signed the paperwork and the bondsman who posted the bond will be required to pay the full bail amount as a penalty. This is a fairly strong motivator when it comes to making sure the defendant does what they need to do in order to resolve their case.
Nearly a third of judges polled said they had little to no confidence a defendant released via other means would appear in court when required.
