Does El Paso Offer Get Out Of Jail Free Cards?
A study shows that El Paso is doing just that, losing millions and letting criminals simply walk away.
The American Bail Coalition says the city of El Paso is letting some people skip paying their bail and they're running away. There is no accountability on their part and definitely no incentive for them to stick around. They vanish, the victim gets no closure and the city loses revenue. (To the tune of $30-$40 million by the end of 2019 in ABC's estimation.)
ABC says, in some cases, it's that easy. Claim you can't pay, promise the court you won't run and you're good. Whether you actually do all those things or not, is up to you. I'm not on the side of bail companies, nor do I care if the city wants to lose even more money. But, c'mon ... rules are rules and they should apply to everyone.
Yes, bail reform is needed. There should be some alternative to jail for those who can't pay but, this isn't the answer. Especially in a city where you're never more than 20-30 minutes from fleeing the country entirely.
What do you think?