Scoop: Trump plans executive order to end "cashless bail" in D.C.

"Zoom in: Under cashless bail, a suspect doesn't need to pay money to be released from custody before trial. Trump previewed his support for ending cashless bail in D.C. earlier this month. When he announced his decision to federalize the D.C. police force, he called the policy a "disaster." Analysts say such claims aren't supported by crime statistics, which show an exceedingly small percentage of defendants are arrested for violent crimes while awaiting trial."

"State of play: A White House official said the executive order could threaten to withhold federal funding or government-backed project approvals from the D.C. if it doesn't end its cashless-bail policy. The executive order will ask law enforcement to "work to ensure" that arrestees are taken into federal rather than local custody, the White House aide said. Trump administration officials argue that federal judges are more likely than D.C. judges to detain crime suspects before trial."

"Zoom out: D.C. largely eliminated cash bail in the 1990s - making it one of the first jurisdictions to do so. Under the city's policy, a judge assesses whether a defendant should be released from prison based on their risk of not showing up for trial. Illinois also has eliminated cash bail. Some other states, including New York, California and New Jersey, have scaled it back. Supporters of cash bail say it financially incentivizes defendants to show up to trial, and that allowing them on the streets poses a threat to residents."

Cashless bail allows suspects to be released pretrial without paying money, with judges assessing release based on risk of failing to appear. The White House plans an executive order that could pressure D.C. to end cashless bail by shifting custody to federal authorities and potentially withholding federal funding or project approvals. Federal officials contend federal judges are more likely than D.C. judges to detain suspects before trial. D.C. eliminated cash bail in the 1990s; states including Illinois have eliminated it while others have scaled it back. Supporters argue cash bail incentivizes court appearance and protects residents; critics say it disproportionately harms low-income people and shows little crime correlation.

Read at Axios