Dayton Daily News: Bondsmen oppose effort to move Ohio away from cash bail system
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The ACLU of Ohio, Buckeye Institute, Justice Action Network and Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor are pushing for sweeping changes to how Ohio courts set bail for defendants, who have yet to have their day in court. Bail has two purposes: make sure the accused show up for court and to protect the public from harm.
Roughly 57 percent of inmates in Ohio jails are not there serving a sentence but instead are awaiting trial, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction data. Ohio courts should look at risk factors, not bank accounts, when deciding who goes free on bail and who stays locked up, according to advocates for bail reform.
House Bill 439 would let courts impose conditions instead of setting a monetary bail to make sure the accused shows up in court; require courts to use a risk assessment tool before setting bail; and wipe out cash schedules for setting bail. It would also require courts to collect data.