Bail is the Glue that Keeps Families Involved in the Criminal Justice System


In the heated national debate over bail reform and cashless bail, one critical perspective is often overlooked: the real families left scrambling when a working parent is arrested for a minor offense. In a recent article, President of the Mississippi Bail Agents Association, Mike Morrison writes about the misrepresented and misunderstood role that bail bond agents play in ensuring families are kept together during the criminal justice process. 

Across Mississippi and the rest of the country, arrests frequently happen late at night or on weekends—DUI, traffic violations, or other non-violent charges that do not involve hardened criminals. Without easy access to an effective pretrial release mechanism like a surety bail bond, the accused has the potential to remain in jail longer than necessary. 

Cashless Bail Creates Delays and Keeps Families Apart

This delayed and unnecessary incarceration is often overlooked and misunderstood. Many bail reform policies that have been supported and promoted by advocacy groups that want to abolish financially secured release have had the opposite impact on the criminal justice system.  They have led to longer pretrial stays and in some cases preventative detention of those that might be able to secure a bail bond if allowed.  When defendants are detained because of these policies it can instantly threaten the stability of an entire household that depends on the incarcerated person’s ability to work and provide for their family.

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