To reform California’s unfair and racist bail system, vote yes on Proposition 25

California’s old bail system, which kept people behind bars if they could not pay thousands of dollars to remain free while awaiting trial, was outdated, unfair and racist.

A study of the bail system in San Francisco revealed that it disproportionately harmed African Americans and Latinos.

“The groups account for just 21 percent of the city’s population, but 63 percent of those paying bail,” reported Marisa Lagos of KQED.

That’s why the California State Legislature made the right move by reforming the state’s broken bail system with Senate Bill 10 in 2018. In 2020, California voters must vote yes on Proposition 25 to uphold these crucial reforms.

Prop. 25 would uphold the bail reforms California enacted in SB 10. It would replace cash bail with “risk assessments” to determine whether an arrested individual should be released. A person determined to be a low risk to public safety could remain free pending further court proceedings. Those determined to be in the medium category could be released or held behind bars.

Those considered “high-risk” “would remain in custody until their arraignment, as would “anyone who has committed certain sex crimes or violent felonies, is arrested for driving under the influence for the third time in less than 10 years, is already under supervision by the courts or has violated any conditions of pretrial release in the previous five years,” according to a Sacramento Bee story about the reforms.

Bail reform was long overdue, but the bail bond industry — which profits from the misery of the broken system — opposes reform. They gathered enough signatures to force a referendum on SB 10. Now, California voters must decide whether to move forward with justice reform by passing Prop. 25.

Prop. 25 will uphold California’s sensible bail reform law. The Sacramento Bee recommends a vote of yes on Prop. 25.