FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: media@vera.org

Trump’s “Cashless Bail” Executive Order Is Dangerous, Baseless, and a Threat to Public Safety

WASHINGTON, DC — On August 25, President Trump signed an executive order ending the use of “cashless bail” across the country. In response, the Vera Institute of Justice released the following statement from Insha Rahman, vice president of advocacy and partnerships:

“Public safety, not wealth, should determine who is released and who remains in jail pending trial. This decision by the administration is yet another distraction from the very measures Trump has taken that jeopardize the safety of our communities. Cash bail privileges the wealthy and penalizes those who cannot pay the price of their freedom. It is a giveaway to the private, for-profit bail bond industry that turns a profit of billions each year. States and cities that have eliminated or reduced the use of money bail have taken money and profit out of the system while protecting public safety. Study after study after study confirms this.

“In the places that have eliminated or nearly eliminated the use of cash bail, the numbers speak for themselves. In Illinois, the only state that has fully eliminated cash bail, violent crime is down and court appearance rates have improved. In New York, where the use of money bail for most cases involving misdemeanors and lower-level felonies was terminated in 2019, the statewide jail population fell by more than 30 percent. In New Jersey, where bail reform became law in 2017, the state observed steeper decreases in violent crime than the national average, with no increase to overall crime rates. In Washington, DC, where money bail has not been used in almost all cases since 1992, 93 percent of people were not rearrested when released pretrial. It is clear that cash bail does not make us safe, in fact this reversal will upend incredible progress.

“Trump’s attack on these sensible, evidence-backed policies is an attack on safety, accountability, and justice for all. We cannot allow the president to put this escalating power grab above the well-being of our communities.”

About the Vera Institute of Justice: The Vera Institute of Justice is powered by hundreds of advocates, researchers, and policy experts working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems until they’re fair for all. Founded in 1961 to advocate for alternatives to money bail in New York City, Vera is now a national organization that partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change. We develop just, antiracist solutions so that money doesn’t determine freedom; fewer people are in jails, prisons, and immigration detention; and everyone is treated with dignity. Vera’s headquarters is in Brooklyn, New York, with offices in Washington, DC, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. For more information, visit vera.org.

About Vera Action: Vera Action is an independent 501(c)(4) organization and the advocacy partner of the Vera Institute of Justice. At Vera Action, we harness the power of advocacy, lobbying, and political strategy to end mass incarceration, protect immigrants’ rights, restore dignity to people behind bars, and build safe and thriving communities.