LETTER: Don’t kill bail reform over a high-profile mistake
The outrage over crimes committed by people released on bail is being used to undermine attempts to reform the bail system.
The reforms attempt to remove cash bail as a default option regardless of the individual defendant. A properly operating system should make an individual assessment of the risk posed by an arrested person.
The mania for imprisonment prior to trial, much less conviction, neglects to consider the impact on possibly innocent prisoners. Remember the presumption of innocence? Remember that imprisonment impacts the family — onerous bail requirements are more punishment and can have permanent impacts on those with limited resources.
Should all prisoners be allowed release on bail? Definitely not. The release of anyone with a record of prior violent crimes requires careful consideration.
Using egregious instances such as the Chinatown attack to undermine efforts to make our judicial system more fair reminds me of the old adage that “bad cases make bad law.”