The Bail Reform Act

The Bail Reform Act, enacted in 1984, aims to ensure that bail decisions prioritize public safety and the defendant's risk of flight, rather than just financial ability to pay. It allows courts to detain individuals before trial if they are deemed dangerous or unlikely to return for their hearings, rather than relying solely on monetary bail. The goal is to promote fairness and reduce unnecessary pretrial detention for lower-risk defendants, balancing individual rights with community safety.