Beto’s Lofty Launch Speech Ignores Real Problems of Poor Americans

The cash bail ensures that the accused shows up and that a violation of the conditions of bail are met or it will hurt FULL STOP. Bail is set by risk (flight risk, likely repeat of criminal acts) and what is appropriate skin in the game.

Chicago has largely reduced bail or waived it in recent years. A high profile case has demonstrated the risks. Five-time felon, including weapons charges, is released on personal recognizance and shortly thereafter shots and kills an off duty co (because he is Hispanic) and critically wounds another.

The same thinking leads to excessive use of prosecutorial discretion in using alternate case disposition putting more offenders back on the street quickly and often with meaningless (unenforced/supervised) probation. Another Chicago felon had the remaining probation canceled by the judge who was hearing the charge that he repeatedly failed to charge his ankle bracelet and repeatedly violated his 10:30 PM curfew. He also killed a LE officer during what would have been his probation period. Violation of his probation should have landed him in jail, not cop killing.

Given those two and many other horror stories from our major metro areas, it is not hard to figure out the Jussie Smollett fiasco.

Bill is correct that these leaders and officials who perpetuate these politically self-serving policies do not live or interact in the areas most likely to suffer from the outcomes.

Many drugs have been effectively decriminalized in places like El Paso and Chicago due to these policies being applied since they aren’t necessarily violent crimes and cops get tired of referring cases that go nowhere. The cops call their reaction “going fetal” (translation, protect yourself and only intervene if you have to).

Mike