Brad Watts

So he's saying re-arrest rates dropped as a result of eliminating bail from 55 to 44% for all arrests and from 27 to 24% for felony arrests, which to be honest, those numbers sound fairly modest, but an 11% difference, a 3% difference, I know that represents thousands and thousands of people whose lives are impacted. And I think we can all agree that reducing recidivism is a good goal.

So he's saying re-arrest rates dropped as a result of eliminating bail from 55 to 44% for all arrests and from 27 to 24% for felony arrests, which to be honest, those numbers sound fairly modest, but an 11% difference, a 3% difference, I know that represents thousands and thousands of people whose lives are impacted. And I think we can all agree that reducing recidivism is a good goal.

So he's saying re-arrest rates dropped as a result of eliminating bail from 55 to 44% for all arrests and from 27 to 24% for felony arrests, which to be honest, those numbers sound fairly modest, but an 11% difference, a 3% difference, I know that represents thousands and thousands of people whose lives are impacted. And I think we can all agree that reducing recidivism is a good goal.

But then I think, well, okay, that's for misdemeanor and nonviolent felony charges. Great. I'm not nearly as worried about those people. But this guy, the attempted murderer from the original letter, he kept getting arrested for domestic violence. That is a violent crime. It's a totally different category. So how can the law not take that into account?

But then I think, well, okay, that's for misdemeanor and nonviolent felony charges. Great. I'm not nearly as worried about those people. But this guy, the attempted murderer from the original letter, he kept getting arrested for domestic violence. That is a violent crime. It's a totally different category. So how can the law not take that into account?

But then I think, well, okay, that's for misdemeanor and nonviolent felony charges. Great. I'm not nearly as worried about those people. But this guy, the attempted murderer from the original letter, he kept getting arrested for domestic violence. That is a violent crime. It's a totally different category. So how can the law not take that into account?

Can we not let violent abusers out of jail if they can't put up bail and let the guy who was busted with... freaking shrooms on the subway? Can we let that guy go? That doesn't seem crazy to me. That sounds like responsible policy.

Can we not let violent abusers out of jail if they can't put up bail and let the guy who was busted with... freaking shrooms on the subway? Can we let that guy go? That doesn't seem crazy to me. That sounds like responsible policy.

Can we not let violent abusers out of jail if they can't put up bail and let the guy who was busted with... freaking shrooms on the subway? Can we let that guy go? That doesn't seem crazy to me. That sounds like responsible policy.

Well, right. And again, this is where I can appreciate both sides of the argument. On one hand, we lock up way too many people in this country. Our jails and prisons are overcrowded. They're horrible. It's hugely expensive. It ruins people's lives. The whole goal is for people to get better and stay out of prison. So yes, of course, I'm all for reducing recidivism.

Well, right. And again, this is where I can appreciate both sides of the argument. On one hand, we lock up way too many people in this country. Our jails and prisons are overcrowded. They're horrible. It's hugely expensive. It ruins people's lives. The whole goal is for people to get better and stay out of prison. So yes, of course, I'm all for reducing recidivism.

Well, right. And again, this is where I can appreciate both sides of the argument. On one hand, we lock up way too many people in this country. Our jails and prisons are overcrowded. They're horrible. It's hugely expensive. It ruins people's lives. The whole goal is for people to get better and stay out of prison. So yes, of course, I'm all for reducing recidivism.

But then you have a story like the one our friend shared, and it's like, okay, is reducing the percentage of re-arrests, especially if the drop in re-arrest is relatively modest, is that worth allowing our friend's mom to be murdered by a psycho arsonist abuser? I'm just not so sure about that.

But then you have a story like the one our friend shared, and it's like, okay, is reducing the percentage of re-arrests, especially if the drop in re-arrest is relatively modest, is that worth allowing our friend's mom to be murdered by a psycho arsonist abuser? I'm just not so sure about that.

But then you have a story like the one our friend shared, and it's like, okay, is reducing the percentage of re-arrests, especially if the drop in re-arrest is relatively modest, is that worth allowing our friend's mom to be murdered by a psycho arsonist abuser? I'm just not so sure about that.

And I can totally appreciate the counter-argument that we need to work at the level of statistics, we can't get every single story right, because yes, here we have a mother who was almost murdered by her abuser who was let out because of bail reform, but there are also countless stories about equally real people whose lives were ruined by committing a dumb crime and not having the money to post bail.

And I can totally appreciate the counter-argument that we need to work at the level of statistics, we can't get every single story right, because yes, here we have a mother who was almost murdered by her abuser who was let out because of bail reform, but there are also countless stories about equally real people whose lives were ruined by committing a dumb crime and not having the money to post bail.

And I can totally appreciate the counter-argument that we need to work at the level of statistics, we can't get every single story right, because yes, here we have a mother who was almost murdered by her abuser who was let out because of bail reform, but there are also countless stories about equally real people whose lives were ruined by committing a dumb crime and not having the money to post bail.

So I get that, and I'm not dismissing that.

So I get that, and I'm not dismissing that.