ABSTRACT
In many states, policy makers and practitioners are in the third wave of bail reform since the early 1960s. This chapter investigates what is known about state laws and local practices governing bail decisions in misdemeanor courts, and the direct and collateral consequences of these practices for defendants and the outcomes of their cases. Drawing on this review of research, this chapter discusses the public and private policy initiatives at the local, state, and federal levels, highlighting the political and commercial contexts in which proposed reforms are debated, and the challenges of reform that face lower courts.
