Trump limits cashless bail in states and cities

Two executive orders attempts to limit cashless bail not at the federal level but in D.C. and other states and cities.

On August 25, President Trump signed two executive orders on the issue of cashless bail.

What is cashless bail?

Cashless bail is a system where people who are arrested are not required to put up cash as collateral for their release from jail prior to their trial. Instead, a judge reviews the details of the case and the individual to determine whether or not they should be detained until their day in court. (In many cash bail jurisdictions, if the defendant can’t pay the full bail amount they can instead pay a percent of the balance to a bail bondsman as a non-refundable fee, which may still be unaffordable. The bondsman will pay the full bail and assume liability for the defendant.) Cashless bail is a policy which states that whether someone is held pre-trial is dependent on the individual and the crime they’re charged with, instead of their bank account or how well their family can crowd-fund. Critics claim that it releases dangerous criminals who are then free to commit more crimes or not show up for court. (Although the specifics of the policy vary by jurisdiction, most policies do not allow cashless bail options for alleged perpetrators of violent crimes. )