The article (available to subscribers only) reports on New Orleans's heavy reliance on bail and bonds to fund its criminal justice system.

New Orleans City Business reports that Vera director Michael Jacobson "recently went before the City Council to propose changes to the bond system modeled after a pretrial release program in New York where more than 50 percent of defendants are released on their own recognizance. It keeps defendants out of prison without imposing a monetary penalty as long as they pose no threat to the public, are not flight risks, have strong community ties are not charged with violent crimes."

"'This is based on a lot of research looking at tens of thousands of people who have come through court and all the research has shown if you have ties to community, you’re stable, have a job, and the charge isn’t serious, people will come back to court,' Jacobson said. 'I don’t know of another city like New Orleans where basically everyone gets a money bond.'"