skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

US sues NY state officials over immigration enforcement; NM's national monuments face new development threats from Trump; NC community colleges get 'boost' to bring more students to high-demand jobs; Trump's resignation plan for federal workers can move forward; Advocates push for program to decrease wildlife collisions in VA.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Deregulation raises environmental and public health concerns, national monuments face potential risks, political neutrality in education sparks protests, and Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation fuels controversy.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rural America struggles with opioids and homelessness in unexpected ways, Colorado's Lariat Ditch could help spur local recreation, and book deliveries revive rural communities hit by Hurricane Helene.

Report: Bail reform in WV has no impact on crime rates

play audio
Play

Monday, October 28, 2024   

Changes in bail policy don't affect crime rates in cities nationwide, according to new data from the Brennan Center for Justice.

Cash bail has driven up jail overcrowding in West Virginia, and the state continues to struggle with record-high staff vacancies within the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Eli Baumwell, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia, said several years ago the state created a policy aimed at reducing the use of money bail for misdemeanors.

But he said local jurisdictions have been slow to implement.

"It has not really been put into effect, because discretion was baked in," said Baumwell. "And that was at the request of judicial officers who assured us that they would be making efforts to expand the use of personal recognizance. That hasn't happened, at least in many jurisdictions."

The study compared major offenses from 2015 through 2021 in around two dozen cities that had in place some type of bail reform.

Braumwell said the state could implement policies that boost pre-trial services, such as text reminders and child care to help people show up to their court date - instead of holding them in jail for weeks, months or, in some cases, over a year.

Ames Grawert, senior counsel with the Brennan Center, said bail amounts tend to be set higher for people of color.

"Even if someone is able to secure a bail bond - rather than pay the amount of money required by the court outright - those bonds can often come with very high, non-refundable fees," said Grawert, "and those fees on their own can be fairly devastating to a family living on the edge."

Baumwell pointed out that the bail system has worsened jail overcrowding in the Mountain State.

"We still have way more more people in these facilities than the jails can hold," said Baumwell. "We don't have enough staff to really make sure that they are being properly cared for."

According to the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, in the last decade West Virginia jails had the highest death rate in the country - twice the national average.

And, the state continues to struggle with record-high staff vacancies within the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.





get more stories like this via email

more stories
Farmers markets encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables, which is much more climate-friendly compared with a meat-based diet. (Corey/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

By Gabriella Sotelo for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient/Just and Climate-Friendly …


Environment

play sound

As the Trump administration considers oil, gas and mining on lands owned by all Americans, including in national monuments designated under the …

Social Issues

play sound

Connecticut education advocates feel Gov. Ned Lamont's 2026-2027 budget proposal continues a history of underfunding education. While the new budget …


Alabama Senate Bill 76 would also protect individuals from having to leave someone under their care if finding a suitable replacement is impossible during jury service. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

An Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee has unanimously approved a bill that would exempt nursing mothers from jury duty. The proposal comes after an …

play sound

Ohio Senate Bill 1 is drawing strong reactions across the state, particularly from students in higher education. The bill, which its supporters say …

Cape Fear Community College is among the 15 colleges in the NC Community Colleges Boost pilot program. (Billy Hathorn/Wikimedia Commons)

Social Issues

play sound

An effort to increase students heading into high-demand jobs from North Carolina's community colleges is receiving a "boost." The N-C Community Colleg…

Social Issues

play sound

A January report shows that in rural counties home to large numbers of American Indians, including in Montana, people are more likely to rely on …

Environment

play sound

Virginia is the ninth-likeliest state for a driver to hit wildlife but environmental advocates are working to change it. One in 76 people in …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021