Bonnie Merrick's List: AB 109

• • Instead of the "all or none" approach with bail, why don't they reduce the bail amounts. This would relieve the need for some of the programs they are implementing. By using a hybrid of pre-trial release and secured lower bail amounts it will be the best of both worlds.
    
    
• • Bail agents don't set the amount of bail. If the judges set bail amount so high that inmates can't afford bail, there is nothing a bail agent can do to remedy that. Bail agents have resorted to liberal payment plans in response to the ever increasing bail amounts. 
• • Funding for Pre-Trial will be less if bail amounts are reduced to a level where more people can afford to get bailed out. Law enforcement has their hands full with the Post-release community supervision population in addition to the backlog of outstanding warrants. At no cost to the taxpayers, bail agents can be hired by those who get arrested to ensure they make their court appearances. People hire private attorneys, why can't they pay for bail in the same way?  The financial ability to hire a good attorney can significantly affect a person's liberty and the rest of their lives.  I don't see any advocates from the American Bar Association trying abolish private attorneys in favor of only utilizing government paid attorneys (public defenders).
• • Bail agents are experts at risk assessment.  They are held personally accountable for their decisions.  More than a few bad "risk assessments" and the bail agent will be out of business.
    
    The purpose of a bail bond is to guarantee the appearance of the defendant in court, period. It is true bail agents are not required by law to perform other services but the one thing we do, we do well. There is no way you can convince me that people 

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