NCJ Number
85597
Date Published
1977
Length
39 pages
Annotation
A random sample of 756 defendants released on bail in Charlotte, N.C., in 1973 was studied to determine the factors that affect the chance that a bailed defendant will fail to appear in court and/or be arrested for a new offense while on bail.
Abstract
The analysis also focused on the relative effectiveness of various forms of bail and potential improvements in bail systems. The most important factors affecting bail risk were found to be the amount of time between release on bail and court disposition, the defendant's criminal record, and the form of bail. Sex, race, income, age, and employment status were all shown to have either no significant effect or a reverse effect from the one expected. The seriousness of the offense charged also had no measurable effect, although this result could have been due to the standard practice of setting higher bond for more serious offenses. Forms of bail relying solely on the threat of financial loss to ensure appearance in court proved to have the highest rates of nonappearance and rearrest. Postrelease supervision provided by the county's pretrial release program had a significant effect in reducing bail risks. Although many defendants probably do not benefit from postrelease supervision, such supervision should be provided to defendants with substantial criminal records and those whose cases take unusually long to reach court disposition. Footnotes, tables, and figures are provided. (Author abstract modified)