California county saw 70% of criminal suspects released on $0 bail commit new crimes: DA
Of the 595 individuals released without bail in Yolo County between 2020 and 2021, 420 were rearrested
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A California district attorney has found that more than 70% of criminal suspects released on $0 bail between 2020 and 2021 in his county committed new crimes.
The California Judicial Council in April 2020 implemented the statewide Emergency Bail Schedule, or $0 bail, which supporters say makes the criminal justice system more fair for those who cannot afford to get released.
"When over 70% of the people released under mandated $0 bail policies go on to commit additional crime(s), including violent offenses such as robbery and murder, there is simply no rational public safety-related basis to continue such a practice post-pandemic, especially in light of the increasing violent crime rates across California," Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig said in a Monday statement.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The California Judicial Council rescinded its $0 bail order in June 2020, but some counties kept the policy in place. Yolo Count ended its $0 bail policy in June 2021, according to a press release from Reisig's office.
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In June of this year, Reisig's office began tracking which suspected offenders released without bail went on to commit new crimes in Yolo County, which includes parts of west Sacramento.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Of the 595 individuals released on $0 bail between 2020 and 2021 in Yolo County, 420 — or 70.6% — were rearrested for new crimes, and 123 — or 20% — were arrested for a violent crime such as murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery, carjacking or domestic violence, according to Reisig's office.
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In one example provided by the DA, an individual released on $0 bail was later charged with murder in Sacramento for a shooting that occurred in July 2021.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Reisig's findings come amid an ongoing discussion about the elimination of cash bail for offenders and whether such policies help criminal suspects reenter society or embolden suspects to commit new crimes.