TOUCH UP FINAL ESSAY

Bruce MM

Thy Nguyen

Nov 26, 2019

LA 207 Proposal Essay First Draft

United States’ Unjust Bail System

The race towards the management of the American bail system is charging up and it is Comment by Thy Nguyen: Be careful of sounding biased and over-exaggerating.

introducing numerous organizations that are stepping up to fight for the people. The Americans

are realizing that the bail system is losing its way especially with the inequality towards the poor.

The poor cannot pay up the bail similar to the wealthy who can easily get out their cash books Comment by Thy Nguyen: More evidence from research needed to prove this is a problem that affects those specific groups you referred to. Are there any statistics you can include for the percentage of people who have to spend the night in jail for minor crimes because they can't post bail?

and then leave jail whenever they want. The unjust system has set up numerous people into

serving jail terms because they cannot pay up the limitation of the $1000 thus most people end

up in jail (Ganeva, 2019). The Bronx Freedom Fund (BFF) started the Bail Project over a decade

ago seeking to free up and make changes to the existing bail system. The foundation has become

a national organization standing up for the people’s rights and helping post bail for those people

that usually fail to pay up. Most of the affected communities are the smaller non-white races in

the country that tend to have higher poverty rates that then limit the fairness system to tilt

towards their side. The less fortunate sect of the community is at odds of the justice system

because they fail to raise the bail money and end up serving time for it while the wealthy pay

their bail leaving the poor filling up the jails and appearing guilty even before the pleas.

It is evident that the bail system is not just as the justice system seeks to perceive the Comment by Thy Nguyen: Is this paragraph and the previous paragraph the introduction? I'm unclear why you are repeating info in both paragraphs and presenting these organizations that are working to improve the situation. Do you want to say that what they are doing isn't working? Also, what do you want the reader to focus on? The fact that certain social-economic groups are unable to pay bail or that "whites" created the system? Is this about racial discrimination or about economical unjust? Remember that you need to include the following in your introduction: 1) What is the current situation? - give a few examples from research of minor crimes and the bail rate for each. Give the % of those unable to pay due to economic status. Explain why that is unjust. 2) What should be done? What's your thesis statement? 3) Why might your solution be the best approach to take?

people to believe in the system. The American forefathers created the laws at the time when they

had the jobs and the whites were the dominant race ignoring the other communities and other

social issues. The fact that some people cannot raise the $1000 bail money for even the smallest

crimes tends to leave numerous people in jail and make them appear guilty. There is a growing

perception regarding the payment of the bail and the guilt that people look at after one fails to

secure their bail (Wiseman, 2018). The BFF and the Bail Project are examples of leading

nonprofit organizations taking the initiative to make sure that the less fortunate get the bail and

they receive massive donations across the world. The group attracts donations from celebrities

implying that they support its efforts towards ensuring a reform in the bail system while at the

same time saving those that fail to pay up. It is evident that the jail system is having to incur

majority financial costs because they have to house numerous people whose crime is to fail to

pay bail and thus have to stay in jail. The fact that the bail system is constant implies that those

that do not have the cash cannot manage to leave and will have to wait in jail until their

arraignment ends and it is time for sentencing. The BFF and Bail Projects are organizations set

up to fight for equal rights among the society to make sure that they access the appropriate

amount of bail that will save up pressure on the jails and the society.

Probable solutions

The fact that there are some discrepancies in the bail system, it is evident that there is a

need for reforms that will help make it easier to increase transformations. Numerous people are Comment by Thy Nguyen: You've made this claim multiple times, but need to back it up with evidence from research. In any case, the body paragraphs should focus on the solutions you propose.

losing their trust in the system that makes it a challenge especially in a system with numerous

racial diversities. The bail system is pushing people into making commitments into the system Comment by Thy Nguyen: I'm unclear what your suggested solution is. Develop this more.

that will influence the necessary changes and make sure that there is no division forming

regarding the wealthy and less fortunate who cannot afford bail. The system requires changes

that will make sure that there is some form of uniformity or an open system that will make it

easier for all the people to share an open system. The poor that cannot afford the bail money can

easily have an alternative measure that will see them also out on bail and thus can move on with

their lives awaiting trial.

Several reform organizations call for the introduction of alternative options for suspects Comment by Thy Nguyen: Meaning is unclear. What is your proposed solution?

and those that commit crimes especially those that the law deems fit to qualify for bonds to make

sure that they earn unsecured bonds, rehabilitative sentencing and check-ins with the law

enforcement officers. According to Simonson (2017), it will be important and relevant to Comment by Thy Nguyen: What part of this is your idea and what part comes from research? Make that clear. Follow the body paragraph structure. Start out with your topic sentence. Explain how it would work. Then give evidence to show it's been successful or could be successful.

introduce the check-ins especially to specifically assigned officers of the law that the suspect will

have to visit regularly and at agreed-upon times despite the situation to make sure that they get

there and sign in. The move helps make it easier to reduce the need to pay the bail but leave the

individual with the mandate to maintain the proper lifestyle without further crimes and a

responsibility that will equal their amount of bail. For instance, the people that cannot post bail

will have the alternative to sign up for reporting to officers for a mandated specific duration that

will help note the behavior and response of the individuals towards the system. The individuals

that fail to keep up with the demands of the agreements of meeting their officers then they might

then receive sentences reflecting the same.

It will be appropriate for the judicial system to also embrace the rehabilitative systems Comment by Thy Nguyen: This could work, but you need to follow body paragraph structure. Also, you need to present some evidence it could work. Another thing to think about fo the thesis is who needs to make the change? Would this be the government? How would you phrase that thesis statement?

that will mainly involve the individuals with crimes relative to drug use and abuse. Wiseman

explained that the suspects that fall under this category and qualify for the bail will have to make

a decision of paying up the required bail money or have the alternative of taking up the

addiction-relief services or have frequent and random visitations with doctors (2018). The

alternative service will make it easier for the people to get help for their addictions be it cocaine

addiction, alcohol abuse, marijuana abuse among others. The solution will fit well the people that

cannot afford bail and fail into this category because they will have an alternative that will still

be productive for society and them for their personal growth.

The judicial system should also introduce the issuance of unsecured bonds that do not Comment by Thy Nguyen: Develop this more. How might it work? If you claim that bail is too high and those of certain economic status can't afford to pay it, how would this solve that problem? It might help them avoid spending time in jail, but if they still have to pay and can't don't they end up with a new harsher consequence? Paper incomplete. Opposition paragraph and conclusion paragraph missing.

require collaterals such as cars, buildings, and other property that will then favor also the people

that do not have the wealth and ownership over the properties (Van Brunt & Bowman, 2018).

The courts can introduce the same and ensure that the people will pay the full bail amount if they

alter from the agreement. The people will have to attend their trials or suffer the consequences of

paying the entire full amount at once or face a hefty punishment or additional time to their

sentencing. The court might choose to hold the individual without further bail until their

arrangement in court.

References

Simonson, J. (2017). Bail Nullification. Michigan Law Review, 115(5), 585–638.

Ganeva, T. (2019). The Fight to End Cash Bail. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 17(2), 18–

25.

Wiseman, S. R. (2018). Bail and Mass Incarceration. Georgia Law Review, 53(1), 235–280.

Van Brunt, A., & Bowman, L. E. (2018). Toward a Just Model of Pretrial Release: A History of

Bail Reform and a Prescription for What’s Next. Journal of Criminal Law &

Criminology, 108(4), 701–774.