A California zero-bail policy designed to clear the jails during the initial stages of COVID-19 has led to more crime, a prosecutor has discovered.
More than 70% of the suspects released with zero bail between 2020 and 2021 went on to commit new crimes in the rural Northern County of Yolo, a study revealed. Many counties have kept the policy in place even though it was rescinded by the California Judicial Council in June 2020, District Attorney Jeff Reisig said Monday.
“When over 70% of the people released under mandated $0 bail policies go on to commit additional crime(s), including violent offenses such as robbery and murder, there is simply no rational public safety-related basis to continue such a practice post-pandemic, especially in light of the increasing violent crime rates across California,” Reisig said.
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A study of the 595 suspects released during the pandemic showed that 420 were rearrested, including 123 on charges of violent crimes such as murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery, and carjacking.
San Diego County ended its zero-bail policy in May. Not all residents were rejoicing, however.
“The bail system, in general, is very classist and impacts people of color more heavily,” Yusef Miller with the North County Equity and Justice Coalition told CBS8 News.
In Los Angeles, the policy expired on July 1. The Los Angeles Police Department began tracking the reoffenders on March 28, 2021. It found 649 rearrests but did not disclose the number of initial arrests. These new offenses included battery, grand theft auto, and assault with a deadly weapon.
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District Attorney George Gascon forbade prosecutors from seeking cash bail in May, even though the state reversed this policy two years earlier. After a backlash fueled by a group seeking to recall him, Gascon lifted his order.
“After listening to the community, victims, and members of this office, I have decided to allow limited exceptions to the pretrial release policy while [a new] program is finalized,” Gascon’s office said in a memo.
