California's Bail Overhaul May Do More Harm Than Good, Reformers Say
California is the largest state in the country to do away with money bail. Many progressive legal groups say it will result in more people detained without evidence or trial.
Criminal justice reformers have long called the U.S. courts system's reliance on money bail unjust: The wealthy, they argue, can simply buy their pretrial freedom, while the poor are stuck behind bars or get pressured into taking a plea deal.
This summer California became the largest state to abolish money bail. The historic move goes into effect next fall. But many of those who've pushed hardest for bail reform say this new system may be worse than the old one.
In the downtown San Francisco public defender's office, you might think attorney Chesa Boudin would be excited about the recently signed , which gets rid of money bail in America's most populous state
