Cash Bail Reform

Changes to the bail system to reduce jailing people simply because they’re poor. Traditional cash bail requires defendants to pay money (often $500-$10,000) to get released before trial, creating a two-tier system where wealthy defendants go home while poor defendants sit in jail for the same charges. Reforms include risk-based release decisions, lower bail amounts, and eliminating bail for low-level offenses. Kentucky passed limited bail reform in 2011.