Publication Date

Fall 1974

Document Type

Article

Abstract

During the early part of the 1960's, interest in the civil rights movement generated concern over the inequities of bail administration. In the latter part of the decade the same problems were revealed in major studies of the nation's criminal justice system. Contributions to the legal literature in this period, encompassing statistical and evaluative studies as well as academic analysis, helped to focus further attention on bail. Moreover, a major effort was undertaken by the United States Department of Justice to promote the sharing of bail program information and ideas. There are signs, however, that some of the earlier interest in bail reform is being diverted from its initial focus. Increasingly, the question of whether there is a constitutional right to bail has become the center of attention, replacing the issue of how society can produce a fair and equitable bail system. Many states, including Missouri, have been affected by the bail reform movement of the 1960's, although there appear to be significant differences in the character of their responses. A re-examination of the state's bail system in the context of the larger nationwide bail reform movement may help us to determine where the state stands in terms of the goal of insuring a fair and equitable bail system.

Publication Title

University of Missouri Kansas City Law Review

Volume

43

Issue

1

Download

Share

COinS