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Podcasts Take Two
California looks to Kentucky for bail reform
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Aug 11, 2017
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California looks to Kentucky for bail reform
A growing number of advocates and policy experts of all political stripes have been calling for reform of the current bail system.
State Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, talks with Sen. Cathleen Galgiani, D-Stockton, after lawmakers approved his measure to change the state's bail and pretrial release policies on Wednesday, May 31, 2017, in Sacramento. By a 25-11 vote, the Senate approved Hertzberg's bill, SB10, that would end money bail for most defendants. It now goes to the Assembly.
State Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, talks with Sen. Cathleen Galgiani, D-Stockton, after lawmakers approved his measure to change the state's bail and pretrial release policies on Wednesday, May 31, 2017, in Sacramento. By a 25-11 vote, the Senate approved Hertzberg's bill, SB10, that would end money bail for most defendants. It now goes to the Assembly.
(
Rich Pedroncelli/AP
)

A growing number of advocates and policy experts of all political stripes have been calling for reform of the current bail system. 

A growing number of advocates and policy experts of all political stripes have been calling for reform of the current bail system. 

Cash bail is supposed to ensure that people who are arrested, charged and released will show up for their court date.

But bail reform advocates say that California's current bail system is unfair, especially for low income people. 

And they point to recent data that shows the median cost of posting bail - about 50-thousand dollars - is five times the national average. 

But on lawmaker in California, State Senator Robert Hertzberg, is pushing to change current policy, and he's looking to Kentucky as a model. 

Cal Matter's Samantha Young has been writing about why Kentucky's bail reform efforts could serve as a model for California, she spoke to us about her report.