Wisconsin voters pass amendment for stricter cash bail
1 year, 9 months ago

Wisconsin voters pass amendment for stricter cash bail

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — It will be harder to get out of jail on bail before trial in Wisconsin under an amendment to the state constitution approved by voters on Tuesday. The amendment’s passage, which appeared as two separate ballot questions that were approved by wide margins, is the latest victory in a Republican-backed push to enact stricter bail laws across the country. But criminal justice experts warn that it will result in higher cash bail amounts and disproportionately keep poor defendants behind bars. Criminal justice advocates say that if a judge believes someone is a threat to public safety, they should have the power to hold them without bail instead of setting high bail amounts that could still let out wealthy defendants before trial. Support for stricter bail laws in Wisconsin grew after Darrell Brooks drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in Waukesha in 2021, killing six people and injuring more than 60.

Wisconsin Cash Bail  violent  jail  cash  bail  stricter  pass  trial  setting  wisconsin  amendment  venhuizen  defendants  crimes  voters

History of this topic

Wisconsin’s voter-approved cash bail measures will stand under judge’s ruling
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Wisconsin’s voter-approved cash bail measures will stand under judge’s ruling

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — Stricter cash bail measures approved by voters last year will stand despite procedural flaws, a judge ruled Monday. State law requires ballot questions to be “filed with the official or agency responsible for preparing the ballots” at least 70 days before the election. The Legislature sent the measures to the Wisconsin Election Commission on Jan. 19, 2023, …

Wisconsin criminal justice groups argue for invalidating constitutional amendments on bail
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Wisconsin criminal justice groups argue for invalidating constitutional amendments on bail

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin criminal justice advocates argued in court Wednesday that Republican-backed cash bail constitutional amendments approved by voters last year should be invalidated over procedural flaws, a case that elections officials and the Legislature call a cynical attempt to undo election results. People can vote on them again.” Attorneys for the Legislature and state elections commission countered that …

How cash bail laws are at stake on Wisconsin’s April ballot
1 year, 9 months ago

How cash bail laws are at stake on Wisconsin’s April ballot

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — With the future of abortion rights and redistricting hanging in the balance, all eyes are on the April election for Wisconsin Supreme Court. The second asks whether judges should be allowed to consider past convictions for violent crimes when setting bail for someone accused of a violent crime. The questions may seem vague and unimportant, but they …

Wisconsin lawmakers pass bill to clarify cash bail amendment
1 year, 9 months ago

Wisconsin lawmakers pass bill to clarify cash bail amendment

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature moved Wednesday to clarify when a proposed constitutional amendment to make it harder for people to go free on bail before trial would apply. Both chambers of the Legislature passed a bill specifying which offenses would fall under the proposed amendment that, if approved by a majority of the state’s April voters, would …

Republican bills push cash bail, subvert Democratic changes
1 year, 9 months ago

Republican bills push cash bail, subvert Democratic changes

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — Just two days before he drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee, killing six people and injuring more than 60, Darrell Brooks Jr. had posted bail for charges of domestic violence. Their proposals include increasing the number of non-bailable offenses, requiring more people to pay cash bail and encouraging or requiring judges to consider …

Wisconsin lawmakers clash over cash bail proposals
1 year, 9 months ago

Wisconsin lawmakers clash over cash bail proposals

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — Democratic lawmakers unveiled plans Thursday to largely eliminate the use of cash bail in Wisconsin, clashing with Republicans who proposed a constitutional amendment to make it harder for people to get out of jail before trial. Democrats presented the plan as an alternative to a proposed constitutional amendment Republicans placed on the April 4 ballot that would …

Bill would clarify bail amendment set for Wisconsin ballot
1 year, 11 months ago

Bill would clarify bail amendment set for Wisconsin ballot

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — As promised, Wisconsin Republicans have circulated legislation that specifies which crimes would be included in a proposed constitutional amendment to make it harder for violent criminal defendants to go free on bail. The bill would remove at least one crime, failure to stop child abuse, from existing definitions of violent crimes and add others such as assault …

Wisconsin Assembly puts bail amendment on April ballot
1 year, 11 months ago

Wisconsin Assembly puts bail amendment on April ballot

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Assembly gave a final, bipartisan push Thursday to a proposed constitutional amendment that would make it harder for violent criminals to get out of jail on bail. The added considerations in setting bail would apply only to violent criminals, but state law currently offers three different definitions for what constitutes a violent crime. Earlier …

Wisconsin Legislature moving ahead with bail amendment
2 years ago

Wisconsin Legislature moving ahead with bail amendment

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Legislature is moving quickly to put a constitutional amendment on the April ballot that would make it harder for criminal defendants to get out of jail on bail. The proposal has been around for years, but it gained new momentum last year after a man out on bail drove his SUV through a Christmas parade …

Wisconsin lawmakers push for higher bail after parade deaths
3 years ago

Wisconsin lawmakers push for higher bail after parade deaths

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin are pushing for tougher bail policies after a man who is charged with driving his SUV through a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee, killing six people and injuring more than 60, had been released on $1,000 bail in a domestic violence case. There have been bipartisan calls for bail reform following the Waukesha …

There's a backlash brewing against bail reform after the parade tragedy in Waukesha
3 years, 1 month ago

There's a backlash brewing against bail reform after the parade tragedy in Waukesha

NPR  

There's a backlash brewing against bail reform after the parade tragedy in Waukesha Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Hoffman/AP Mark Hoffman/AP Darrell E. Brooks, Jr., has become the poster boy for the backlash against bail reform. Chisholm, who took office in 2007, has been identified with the recent wave of "reformist prosecutors" who pledge to reduce incarceration and pre-trial …

Bail reform: Behind police leaders claims that reforms are responsible for surge in violence
3 years, 4 months ago

Bail reform: Behind police leaders claims that reforms are responsible for surge in violence

CNN  

CNN — “It is an outrage,” wrote Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown. It’s important to keep in mind the context, which is that these trends are deeply disturbing but not a cause for panic.” The crime trend has sparked a tense debate among some politicians, city officials and police leaders on whether bail reforms contribute to violent crime rates, however …

Discover Related