President Trump signed an executive order threatening to withhold or revoke federal funding from local and state governments that offer cashless bail, citing public safety. Attorney General Pam Bondi must submit a list of jurisdictions that have substantially eliminated cash bail within 30 days. Proponents call cash bail a penalty on poverty, arguing wealthier defendants can pay to await trial while poorer defendants remain jailed. Critics warn that eliminating cash bail could release violent offenders pending trial and reduce incentives to appear in court. Cashless bail allows release without payment and contrasts with traditional cash bail; the Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail. Illinois eliminated cash bail in 2023 under the SAFE-T Act, shifting release decisions to judges who weigh charges and danger.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday threatening to withhold or revoke federal funding to local and state governments that offer cashless bail, arguing that it is a threat to public safety. "No cash. Come back in a couple of months, we'll give you a trial. You never see the person again," he said, moments before signing the order.
Proponents of eliminating cash bail describe it as a penalty on poverty, suggesting that the wealthy can pay their way out of jail to await trial while those with fewer financial resources have to sit it out behind bars. Critics of the cashless route have argued that bail is a time-honored way to ensure defendants released from jail show up for court proceedings. They warn that violent criminals will be released pending trial, giving them license to commit other crimes.
Cashless bail refers to policies that allow people to be released from jail without paying any money while they await trial. It is an alternative to the traditional cash bail system in which which people pay money to be released and get their money back if they return to court when they are supposed to. The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution prohibits excessive bail.
Collection
[
|
...
]