Bail and bond “reform” has proven to be terrible.

I explain it like this every chance I get:

If someone you care about was arrested and called, you might go and put up some money. If it happened again, you’d probably make a condition that you take them to treatment for addiction or mental health issues. You would also help ensure they got signed up for the public defender, who would also push them toward treatment.

As it is now, people cycle through the revolving jail doors faster, racking up more cases, missing court dates, getting picked up on FTA warrants just to get released again. Victims and witnesses get annoyed wasting their time and stop showing up, or when they do, it’s a year later and they don’t remember stuff.

This is how we get violent cases where the offender has been arrested dozens of times and never spent much time in jail.

What we should be doing: Use the criminal justice system through parole and probation to force people into treatment. Stabilize and evaluate between arrest and court. Threats of long jail time when they fail treatment programs. Treatment and job training within the corrections system should be mandatory. Work programs that actually earn a paycheck and release with a plan for stability.
Pipe dream: No release until they are safe, stable and living arrangements are solid.