Fixing bail, fines, and fees in the criminal justice system

The share of felony defendants in the criminal justice system who are required to post bail to avoid pre-trail detention is increasing, while the share released without bail is dropping. Simultaneously the amount of time from arrest to adjudication has also increased. These and related factors have significant negative economic impacts on the individuals involved, and are linked to increased recidivism. In this episode, Jay Shambaugh, the director of the Hamilton Project at Brookings and a senior fellow in Economic Studies, talks about new research on monetary sanctions in the criminal justice system. Also, John Ratliff, in a new Metro Lens, talks about how America's governors are pursuing digital innovation policies. Subscribe to Brookings podcasts here or on iTunes, send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Brookings Cafeteria is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.