Bail Reform

Although bipartisanship isn't seen frequently these days, there seems to be some agreement from both sides of the aisle on the need to reform bail in Ohio.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers launched another effort to overhaul the state’s bail system, which has been talked about for years and is backed by conservative and liberal groups.

A statewide poll released in March found that three out of four Ohio voters believe the state’s criminal justice system is in need of reform. Two areas that have already seen movement are in the creation of a statewide criminal justice database and in reforms to the cash bail system.

A statewide poll released in March found that three out of four Ohio voters believe the state’s criminal justice system is in need of reform. Two areas that have already seen movement are in the creation of a statewide criminal justice database and in reforms to the cash bail system

A big change is coming to Ohio’s court system starting July 1, as the state takes a step closer to getting rid of cash bail for people being held in jail.

A new report from the ACLU of Ohio estimates that reforming bail would save local governments as much as $264 million a year. The report looked at how much it costs to house inmates waiting for trial in four counties in Ohio – Athens, Cuyahoga, Franklin and Vinton counties – and came up with a statewide estimate that also factored in the added costs of pretrial services for those who are released while awaiting a trial.

Columbus recently moved to stop requesting cash bonds for most people charged with non-violent crimes, instead letting them out of jail as they await…

The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected a recommendation that tools used to measure offenders' likelihood of skipping out on court appearances after an arrest…

The number of people housed in the Cuyahoga County Jail continues to go down as improvements to the bail system across the county are implemented, according to members of the Criminal Justice Council. But advocates for bail reform and improved jail conditions say there’s still work to be done.

Every Jan. 1, states across the country implement new laws. Some groundbreaking new laws address Internet user privacy and the classification of contract workers in California, for example.