On the Road to Freedom: An Abolitionist Assessment of Pretrial and Bail Reforms

Each year, about half a million individuals are incarcerated because they cannot afford bail, even though they remain innocent until proven guilty. This report examines pretrial and bail reforms, including eliminating cash bail for misdemeanors, establishing pretrial release as the default outcome, and using release on recognizance for low-level municipal code violations like public drunkenness. It also provides case studies of recent bail reforms from cities and states across the nation, and a checklist for evaluating potential reforms in the local context.