A Briefing on Key Issues in Pretrial Justice
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Pretrial Justice Institute, and the R Street Institute invite you to attend a briefing on key issues in pretrial justice.
Panelists include:
Sakira Cook, Director, Justice Reform Program,
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Tenille Patterson, Vice President of the Pretrial Justice Institute
Lars Trautman, Senior Fellow, Criminal Justice & Civil Liberties, R Street Institute
Each year, there are roughly 11 million arrests per year, and over 75% of them are for misdemeanor charges. Of the nearly 700,000 people who are confined in jails each night, nearly two-thirds are unconvicted – being held mostly due to an inability to post a monetary bond. Pretrial detention has devastating and lasting effects on people facing charges and their families, and Black and brown people are disproportionately impacted.
What is “bail reform”? What do we mean when we say “pretrial justice”? While public calls to “end cash bail” draw attention, this is a complex intergovernmental issue affecting the federal system, as well as state statutes, court rules, county policies and practices. Any good reform will include a full and comprehensive set of actions centered on improving public safety and quality of life, reducing the costs of unnecessary detention and supervision, and ensuring government efficiency and accountability in the equitable distribution of justice.
Congress has a unique and important role to play in improving pretrial justice in the United States at the federal, state and local levels. Join us as we speak from three different perspectives focused on reaching the same goals for the country.
