CalMatters Finds Trump Lacks Authority to Scrap ‘Cashless Bail’ Despite August Orders

Overview

• Trump signed two executive orders in August targeting what he calls cashless bail, including one for Washington, D.C. and another aimed at other jurisdictions.
• CalMatters reports the White House’s 30-day deadline to identify targeted jurisdictions has passed without the promised list.
• The White House cited a Yolo County study to justify the push, but the report has been criticized and described as methodologically flawed.
• CalMatters notes research cited by experts finds no evidence that requiring money for release improves pretrial behavior or prevents re-arrest.
• The piece explains that most defendants pay a nonrefundable fee to bail bond agents, arrests do not trigger loss of posted money, and Illinois has eliminated cash bail statewide.