BAIL AND COURT SYSTEM

During my employment at a local sheriff department I never witnessed racial discrimination in bail or bond hearing.  I agree with the textbook that bail is based on many factors but I believe defendants economic status is the most important.  If your rich and your well known in the community its a guarantee that white or black your will receive bail just as long as you have not committed a violate crime such as rape or murder.  Surprisely most inmate that are in jail have bail but because they are poor can not afford it most relie on immediate family member to bond them out of jail.

More importantly another thing that affects bail is if the case is high publicized the media and public opinion can sway the judges decision whether to grant bail.    I believe that politics does play a role in these cases most judge are appointment by the general assembly or by election. Making the right legal decision which goes against public or political opinion could can stir up unwant controversy.

In the Treyvon Martin case many people believed that George Zimmerman should not be eligible for bail but the court set his bail at one million dollars.  But after it was determined that his wife misled the court about financial information his bond was revoked.  Rumors were that his money was coming from the far right.


Banks, C. (2013). Criminal justice ethics. (3rd ed., pp. 70-71). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Gutman, M., & Tienabeso, S. (2012, June 01). George Zimmerman's Bond Revoked. ABC News. Retrieved from http:abcnews.go.com/US/george-zimmermans-bond-revoked/story?id=16476183//