Tennessee Bill Proposes Equalizing Bail Determinations Beyond Financial Status

Tennessee Bill Proposes Equalizing Bail Determinations Beyond Financial Status

A law intended to alter the way judges set bail for prospective offenders is on its way to Governor law Lee’s desk.

While some legislators claim it will increase public safety, others argue it would be unjust to people who are less wealthy. Currently, a court has a number of options when determining bail.

This covers factors like length of stay, work status, past criminal history, and likelihood of conviction. The new rule would prohibit courts from taking an individual’s financial situation into account.

Proponents claim that this element has made it possible for dangerous people to reappear on the street. Critics counter that poor defendants will suffer more as a result of this bill.

“Saying that because you’re poor, you have to stay in jail. That is cruel, that is unjust, that is immoral. That is shameful. That is not something I would want to put my name on.”
House Bill 1719 would prohibit a judge from taking a suspect’s financial situation into account when deciding how much bail would be necessary to release him from custody.
“When you’re looking at ability to pay, and that’s the only thing you’re looking at, you’re ignoring the entire rest of the statute to the detriment of a community.”
There is a clear relationship between lower wages and greater arrest rates for those who are booked, according to data from the VERA Institute of Justice.

The average household income in the three Hamilton County ZIP codes with the highest arrest rates was less than $50,000 annually.

“This representative is proposing a bill that says look, let’s look at dangerous as dangerousness of that individual. How dangerous are they in the community?”

According to Shropshire, the Hamilton County Community bond Fund assists in releasing persons from jail who are unable to pay their bond. This organization has had an effect on him personally. According to him, this bill will really worsen public safety.

“We are already dealing with a overcrowding of the jail, right?” Shropshire says. “So if they do that, that’s more individuals that are gonna be in there. And that’s gonna get more crowded. So it’s not helping,” Shropshire said.

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With more than two years of expertise in news and analysis, Eileen Stewart is a seasoned reporter. Eileen is a respected voice in this field, well-known for her sharp reporting and insightful analysis. Her writing covers a wide range of subjects, from politics to culture and more.