In 2019, Harris County officials settled a class action lawsuit that addressed the misuse of bail in Houston, which is the fourth-largest city in the United States. Since then, more people accused of low-level misdemeanor offenses have been released without bail while pending trial, safeguarding the presumption of innocence and mitigating the harmful impacts of unnecessary pretrial incarceration.
Contrary to critics’ claims, the Harris County reforms have not created a free-wheeling, “let-them-all-out” system. The new rules allow for accountability and preserve judges’ ability to detain people when there is reason to. The changes are practical, in-line with the law, and good public policy. In contrast, the costly and ineffective policies of the past three decades have systematically violated due process rights and excessively relied on jails to address issues of public health and poverty, creating a revolving door of incarceration that exacerbates rather than solves underlying root causes.
Thank you for reading and your willingness to engage in a complicated and urgent issue. In addition to providing immediate relief by offering bail assistance, we at The Bail Project are working to advance systemic change. Policy change doesn’t happen without the support of people like you. If you found value in this article, please consider taking action today by donating.
