By Saul Estrada and Alex Guiterrez
Money talks, especially when you need that money to bail yourself or a family member out of jail. But sometimes the bail placed is too high in price for low-income families to afford.
Bail is a payment that you have to pay in order to be released until proven guilty. If you are proven guilty and you paid the full amount of the bail you will get that money refunded. If the defendant is not found guilty then the bond is discharged.
Although paying bail can allow people to go home and spend time with their families, instead of being in jail while waiting for the court day to come, there should be alternative ways for people to go home while still being prosecuted such rehabilitation or community service hours to help out their community as well.
Sending the people who are on bail into a rehabilitation center or to do community service hours can help them by making them rethink of the crimes they have committed. While doing so, they can help out the community by working in food dispensaries or cleaning up trash from the streets.
Recently in 2019, California became the first state to abolish money bails and many people were against this act. Some believe that with no money bails being set, it’s just going to increase the number of people who are in jail waiting for their trial to come.
On the other hand, abolishing bails is also a good thing for the families who can’t afford bail. Many times the trials they are waiting for can take days, months, or even years.
According to the latimes.com, a man from San Francisco stole a 5 dollar bottle of cologne and ended up spending 250 days in jail and he was set a bail of $350,000. Even though the 8th amendment states that no excessive bail or cruel punishment can be set, the government still does so by setting bails like the $350,000 for the man who stole a $5 bottle of cologne.
The government doesn't just have the power to set high bails; they also have the power to deny bails as they did to a former rapper Takashi 6ix9ine. Takashi 6ix9ine was placed in jail for racketeering, which is when you claim other people's profit as your own. Takashi 6ix9ine was recently denied bail after offering all of his money, which adds up to 1.7 million US dollars.
Kalief Browder, a 16-year-old from the Bronx, was caught stealing $700 worth of items. Kalief was placed in jail with a bail of $900. Kalief’s family didn't have enough money to bail out Kalief and he ended up spending 2 years in solitary and 1 year in prison. He later took his own life.
Having alternative options for people instead of bails can really help out low-income families. They will be able to work for their freedom, and also they will help out their community with community service hours and not just spend time waiting for their trial to come.
Money talks, especially when you need that money to bail yourself or a family member out of jail. But sometimes the bail placed is too high in price for low-income families to afford.
Bail is a payment that you have to pay in order to be released until proven guilty. If you are proven guilty and you paid the full amount of the bail you will get that money refunded. If the defendant is not found guilty then the bond is discharged.
Although paying bail can allow people to go home and spend time with their families, instead of being in jail while waiting for the court day to come, there should be alternative ways for people to go home while still being prosecuted such rehabilitation or community service hours to help out their community as well.
Sending the people who are on bail into a rehabilitation center or to do community service hours can help them by making them rethink of the crimes they have committed. While doing so, they can help out the community by working in food dispensaries or cleaning up trash from the streets.
Recently in 2019, California became the first state to abolish money bails and many people were against this act. Some believe that with no money bails being set, it’s just going to increase the number of people who are in jail waiting for their trial to come.
On the other hand, abolishing bails is also a good thing for the families who can’t afford bail. Many times the trials they are waiting for can take days, months, or even years.
According to the latimes.com, a man from San Francisco stole a 5 dollar bottle of cologne and ended up spending 250 days in jail and he was set a bail of $350,000. Even though the 8th amendment states that no excessive bail or cruel punishment can be set, the government still does so by setting bails like the $350,000 for the man who stole a $5 bottle of cologne.
The government doesn't just have the power to set high bails; they also have the power to deny bails as they did to a former rapper Takashi 6ix9ine. Takashi 6ix9ine was placed in jail for racketeering, which is when you claim other people's profit as your own. Takashi 6ix9ine was recently denied bail after offering all of his money, which adds up to 1.7 million US dollars.
Kalief Browder, a 16-year-old from the Bronx, was caught stealing $700 worth of items. Kalief was placed in jail with a bail of $900. Kalief’s family didn't have enough money to bail out Kalief and he ended up spending 2 years in solitary and 1 year in prison. He later took his own life.
Having alternative options for people instead of bails can really help out low-income families. They will be able to work for their freedom, and also they will help out their community with community service hours and not just spend time waiting for their trial to come.