With the state’s new bail reform measure in effect for the last two months—and a faction of state senators looking to tweak the law—we asked readers their thoughts on the existing law as it is and whether it’s fair to link the increase in crime to the new law.

[Bail reform is] a bad idea. What they’re doing now is not a good idea. I do think bail reform will bring more crime [and] even the police are angry about this. If someone gets arrested today…tomorrow they’re out. Oh yeah, bail was a good idea because some criminals need to stay behind bars.
Jerry Leon
Morris Park

 

Absolutely, but I think it should depend on the nature of the crime. I was wondering if it included felonies, because you have people robbing and doing serious crimes. They probably don’t want to face the music so when they get out, they skip town. But a lesser crime they may just think they’ll get a slap on the wrist. I do believe it does contribute to the uptick in crime. It’s almost like a freebie, almost like a get out of jail free card. Instead of learning a lesson, they think they can do it again.
Matthew Bourne
Kingsbridge

It can be related to the increased crime. I think they should have someone to look into the story and to see what happened to find out the circumstances and then decide on bail. I think it’s justified to say at this time that it may be, because you didn’t have this before and now we see an increase. It can potentially be attributed to that.
Jade Santana
Castle Hill

Yes, I do think it has brought more crime because now they think that they can get away with anything. Release some people; but some people need to be in jail. It’s up to the judge to open his eyes and to see who the criminal is and who is not.
Maximo Carbajal
Belmont

 

Well, I am a man who has spent a long time in prison, and I do feel that bail reform is good sometimes in certain instances, for low-level crime. But when you start letting people out that do crimes every day, it’s wrong. I’m a man that loves his people and my neighborhood and I go out and I teach these young people how not to go to jail and not to take on the attitude of others, which gets them into trouble. They need to stop the reform or look at the individual case and see the things that they’ve done in the past. Like me, I’ve kept out of trouble for the last 20 years.
Charles Robinson
Bedford Park