GITNUXREPORT 2026

Cash Bail Statistics

Cash bail disproportionately harms poor and minority communities while failing to improve court appearances.

Sarah Mitchell

Senior Researcher specializing in consumer behavior and market trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

Across the U.S., pretrial detainees make up 71% of the local jail population as of 2022

Statistic 2

Nationally, 462,000 people are jailed pretrial for inability to pay bail under $5,000

Statistic 3

U.S. jails hold 500,000 pretrial detainees daily, costing taxpayers $14 billion yearly

Statistic 4

In 2021, 74% of U.S. jail inmates were pretrial, up from 60% in 1996

Statistic 5

Federal pretrial detention averages 25 days, but cash bail cases extend to 60 days average

Statistic 6

Statewide, 1 in 5 pretrial detainees are held for drug offenses under $2,500 bail

Statistic 7

Nationally, misdemeanor bail averages $2,500 but detains 400,000 people yearly

Statistic 8

U.S. pretrial population grew 50% from 2000-2020 despite stable crime rates

Statistic 9

80% of county jail budgets ($13 billion) fund pretrial detention nationally

Statistic 10

Federal cash bail cases average $25,000, detaining 30% of defendants

Statistic 11

State pretrial detention rates vary from 50% in Hawaii to 85% in Louisiana

Statistic 12

Nationwide, 25% of pretrial detainees are held for traffic violations under $1,000 bail

Statistic 13

Urban counties detain 78% pretrial vs. 55% in rural counties

Statistic 14

2022 national average pretrial detention rate was 68% of jail population

Statistic 15

Southern states have 20% higher pretrial detention rates than Northeast

Statistic 16

Pretrial jail costs per inmate average $100/day, totaling $38 billion over decade

Statistic 17

West Coast states average 62% pretrial detention vs. 75% Midwest

Statistic 18

National pretrial failure-to-appear rate is 17% regardless of cash or not

Statistic 19

Pretrial detainees represent 70% of jail growth since 1983

Statistic 20

Northeast U.S. has lowest pretrial detention at 58% average

Statistic 21

2023 jail census: 470,000 pretrial nationally

Statistic 22

Pretrial detention costs $80 billion in lost productivity over 10 years

Statistic 23

In 2019, 82% of people held in jail pretrial could not afford bail of $5,000 or less

Statistic 24

In Harris County, Texas, low-income defendants pay an average of 8.4% of their annual income in bail premiums

Statistic 25

Families of detained individuals in New York spend $175 million annually on commercial bail bonds

Statistic 26

60% of cash bail payments nationwide come from family borrowing or debt

Statistic 27

Average bail bond fee is 10-15% of bail amount, totaling $1.5 billion in premiums yearly

Statistic 28

Poor defendants lose 15% of income to bail forfeiture annually nationwide

Statistic 29

Commercial bail industry profits $2.5 billion from low-income communities yearly

Statistic 30

55% of bail payers use credit cards, accruing $500 million in interest fees

Statistic 31

Bail agents seize 3-5% of collateral like cars from low-income families yearly

Statistic 32

Families sell assets worth $1 billion yearly to post bail nationwide

Statistic 33

Payday loans for bail spike 25% in high-cash-bail jurisdictions

Statistic 34

Non-payment of bail leads to $400 million in forfeited bonds annually

Statistic 35

Bail premium financing adds 20% APR interest, costing $300 million yearly

Statistic 36

70% of bail money is non-refundable premiums to bondsmen

Statistic 37

Low-bail defendants ($500 or less) still comprise 20% of pretrial jail population

Statistic 38

Bail agents repossess vehicles in 5% of cases, costing $100 million yearly

Statistic 39

45% of pretrial detainees have mental health issues, exacerbated by cash bail

Statistic 40

Forfeited bail judgments total $500 million uncollected yearly from poor defendants

Statistic 41

35% of bail payers take high-interest loans averaging 300% APR

Statistic 42

Bail industry lobbies spent $10 million in 2022 to preserve cash bail

Statistic 43

Average family debt from one bail payment is $4,000 long-term

Statistic 44

25% of U.S. counties rely on bail revenue for 10%+ of budgets

Statistic 45

The median cash bail amount set nationwide for felonies was $10,000 in 2020

Statistic 46

Failure-to-appear rates dropped by 20% after Philadelphia ended cash bail for misdemeanors in 2018

Statistic 47

Pretrial release without cash bail reduces recidivism by 12% compared to cash bail systems

Statistic 48

Cash bail leads to 40% higher pretrial rearrest rates for released defendants under financial pressure

Statistic 49

Detained pretrial defendants are 3 times more likely to plead guilty due to pressure

Statistic 50

Cash bail systems increase jail violence incidents by 22% due to overcrowding

Statistic 51

Pretrial detention correlates with 25% higher conviction rates overall

Statistic 52

Released on cash bail defendants miss 15% more court dates due to work conflicts

Statistic 53

Cash bail pretrial release shows no difference in rearrest rates vs. non-financial release

Statistic 54

Pretrial incarceration increases homelessness risk by 40% post-release

Statistic 55

Cash bail correlates with 17% longer sentences for those detained pretrial

Statistic 56

Detained individuals lose 200,000 jobs yearly due to pretrial hold

Statistic 57

Pretrial release on recognizance has 10% lower recidivism than cash bail

Statistic 58

Cash bail systems show 8% higher community supervision violation rates

Statistic 59

Pretrial detention increases child welfare involvement by 25%

Statistic 60

Cash bail released individuals have 14% higher abscond rates due to debt

Statistic 61

Detention pretrial leads to 30% loss in annual wages for released defendants

Statistic 62

Cash bail increases overdose deaths post-release by 20% from lost stability

Statistic 63

Pretrial hold averages 23 days nationally, but 45 for cash bail cases

Statistic 64

Cash bail leads to 12% higher pretrial crime rates from financial stress

Statistic 65

Detained pretrial have 4x suicide attempt rate in jail

Statistic 66

Pretrial release without money has same court appearance as cash bail

Statistic 67

Black Americans are detained pretrial at rates 3.6 times higher than white Americans nationally

Statistic 68

Latino defendants in California face bail amounts 25% higher than white defendants for similar charges

Statistic 69

In Los Angeles County, Black individuals are assigned bail 51% higher than whites for non-violent offenses

Statistic 70

Native American defendants in Montana face pretrial detention rates 4 times the state average

Statistic 71

Asian American defendants in New York City receive 15% lower bail amounts than other groups on average

Statistic 72

In Broward County, FL, Hispanic defendants pay 20% more in bail than non-Hispanics

Statistic 73

Black women in Georgia are 5 times more likely to be detained pretrial than white women

Statistic 74

In Maricopa County, AZ, Indigenous defendants face 35% higher bail assignments

Statistic 75

Pacific Islanders in Hawaii have pretrial detention rates 2.8 times whites

Statistic 76

In Milwaukee, Black men under 30 are detained pretrial at 51% rate vs. 18% whites

Statistic 77

Elderly Black defendants in Florida face 28% higher detention rates pretrial

Statistic 78

Middle Eastern defendants in NYC post-9/11 saw 40% bail increases

Statistic 79

Black youth in LA County detained pretrial at 4.5x rate of white youth

Statistic 80

Latino women in Texas have 2.7x pretrial detention risk vs. white women

Statistic 81

Asian defendants in San Francisco receive bail 12% lower but higher detention post-hearing

Statistic 82

Native Hawaiian defendants in Hawaii detained at 3x rate of whites

Statistic 83

Black defendants in Chicago assigned $5,000 higher average bail than whites

Statistic 84

Hispanic youth in California detained pretrial at 3.2x white youth rate

Statistic 85

White defendants in rural Kentucky receive 18% lower bail than Black counterparts

Statistic 86

Black transgender defendants in NYC face 60% higher detention rates

Statistic 87

Latino defendants in Arizona assigned 22% higher bail for misdemeanors

Statistic 88

Indigenous women in Minnesota detained pretrial at 6x white women rate

Statistic 89

New Jersey's bail reform eliminated cash bail and reduced pretrial jail population by 44% from 2014-2017

Statistic 90

Illinois' Pretrial Fairness Act abolished cash bail statewide effective 2023, reducing jail populations by 15% initially

Statistic 91

Cook County, IL saw a 25% drop in pretrial detention after risk-based assessments replaced cash bail in 2017

Statistic 92

Kentucky's bail reform pilot reduced failures-to-appear by 18% using citations over cash

Statistic 93

Washington's statewide risk assessment eliminated cash bail needs for 90% of cases

Statistic 94

Oregon's pretrial reform cut jail costs by $15 million yearly post-2013

Statistic 95

New York's 2019 bail reform initially dropped jail population by 50% before rollbacks

Statistic 96

Maryland's risk-based system reduced pretrial detention by 18% since 2017

Statistic 97

Colorado's universal pretrial release cut jail use by 30% in pilot counties

Statistic 98

Nevada's 2021 reform expanded release options, lowering detention by 12%

Statistic 99

Utah's 2018 reform using metrics cut failures-to-appear by 13%

Statistic 100

Delaware eliminated cash bail in 2022, reducing average detention days by 20

Statistic 101

New Mexico's pretrial reforms since 2016 cut jail population by 42%

Statistic 102

Hawaii's 2017 reform expanded release, dropping detention by 35%

Statistic 103

Connecticut's risk assessment since 2010 reduced detention by 22%

Statistic 104

Virginia's 2020 reform decriminalized some offenses, cutting pretrial by 16%

Statistic 105

Michigan's pretrial pilot in 10 counties reduced detention 28% with alternatives

Statistic 106

Ohio's 2019 reforms expanded citations, reducing jail by 10% pretrial

Statistic 107

Idaho's pretrial services cut detention needs by 25% since 2013

Statistic 108

Pennsylvania's county reforms averaged 20% detention reduction

Statistic 109

Rhode Island eliminated cash bail in 2022, dropping population by 18%

Statistic 110

Vermont's reforms since 2015 reduced average pretrial days by 15

1/110

Sources

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Imagine being jailed not because you're a danger or a flight risk, but simply because you can't afford $500: this is the reality of America's cash bail system, where staggering racial disparities and financial burdens trap hundreds of thousands of people pretrial every single day.

Key Takeaways

In 2019, 82% of people held in jail pretrial could not afford bail of $5,000 or less
In Harris County, Texas, low-income defendants pay an average of 8.4% of their annual income in bail premiums
Families of detained individuals in New York spend $175 million annually on commercial bail bonds
Black Americans are detained pretrial at rates 3.6 times higher than white Americans nationally
Latino defendants in California face bail amounts 25% higher than white defendants for similar charges
In Los Angeles County, Black individuals are assigned bail 51% higher than whites for non-violent offenses
The median cash bail amount set nationwide for felonies was $10,000 in 2020
Failure-to-appear rates dropped by 20% after Philadelphia ended cash bail for misdemeanors in 2018
Pretrial release without cash bail reduces recidivism by 12% compared to cash bail systems
New Jersey's bail reform eliminated cash bail and reduced pretrial jail population by 44% from 2014-2017
Illinois' Pretrial Fairness Act abolished cash bail statewide effective 2023, reducing jail populations by 15% initially
Cook County, IL saw a 25% drop in pretrial detention after risk-based assessments replaced cash bail in 2017
Across the U.S., pretrial detainees make up 71% of the local jail population as of 2022
Nationally, 462,000 people are jailed pretrial for inability to pay bail under $5,000
U.S. jails hold 500,000 pretrial detainees daily, costing taxpayers $14 billion yearly

Cash bail disproportionately harms poor and minority communities while failing to improve court appearances.

Comparative and National Stats

Across the U.S., pretrial detainees make up 71% of the local jail population as of 2022
Nationally, 462,000 people are jailed pretrial for inability to pay bail under $5,000
U.S. jails hold 500,000 pretrial detainees daily, costing taxpayers $14 billion yearly
In 2021, 74% of U.S. jail inmates were pretrial, up from 60% in 1996
Federal pretrial detention averages 25 days, but cash bail cases extend to 60 days average
Statewide, 1 in 5 pretrial detainees are held for drug offenses under $2,500 bail
Nationally, misdemeanor bail averages $2,500 but detains 400,000 people yearly
U.S. pretrial population grew 50% from 2000-2020 despite stable crime rates
80% of county jail budgets ($13 billion) fund pretrial detention nationally
Federal cash bail cases average $25,000, detaining 30% of defendants
State pretrial detention rates vary from 50% in Hawaii to 85% in Louisiana
Nationwide, 25% of pretrial detainees are held for traffic violations under $1,000 bail
Urban counties detain 78% pretrial vs. 55% in rural counties
2022 national average pretrial detention rate was 68% of jail population
Southern states have 20% higher pretrial detention rates than Northeast
Pretrial jail costs per inmate average $100/day, totaling $38 billion over decade
West Coast states average 62% pretrial detention vs. 75% Midwest
National pretrial failure-to-appear rate is 17% regardless of cash or not
Pretrial detainees represent 70% of jail growth since 1983
Northeast U.S. has lowest pretrial detention at 58% average
2023 jail census: 470,000 pretrial nationally
Pretrial detention costs $80 billion in lost productivity over 10 years

Comparative and National Stats Interpretation

It appears we've built a profitable and inefficient system where the price of freedom is shockingly low, yet unpayable for hundreds of thousands, costing us billions while we incarcerate the presumption of innocence.

Economic and Financial Burdens

In 2019, 82% of people held in jail pretrial could not afford bail of $5,000 or less
In Harris County, Texas, low-income defendants pay an average of 8.4% of their annual income in bail premiums
Families of detained individuals in New York spend $175 million annually on commercial bail bonds
60% of cash bail payments nationwide come from family borrowing or debt
Average bail bond fee is 10-15% of bail amount, totaling $1.5 billion in premiums yearly
Poor defendants lose 15% of income to bail forfeiture annually nationwide
Commercial bail industry profits $2.5 billion from low-income communities yearly
55% of bail payers use credit cards, accruing $500 million in interest fees
Bail agents seize 3-5% of collateral like cars from low-income families yearly
Families sell assets worth $1 billion yearly to post bail nationwide
Payday loans for bail spike 25% in high-cash-bail jurisdictions
Non-payment of bail leads to $400 million in forfeited bonds annually
Bail premium financing adds 20% APR interest, costing $300 million yearly
70% of bail money is non-refundable premiums to bondsmen
Low-bail defendants ($500 or less) still comprise 20% of pretrial jail population
Bail agents repossess vehicles in 5% of cases, costing $100 million yearly
45% of pretrial detainees have mental health issues, exacerbated by cash bail
Forfeited bail judgments total $500 million uncollected yearly from poor defendants
35% of bail payers take high-interest loans averaging 300% APR
Bail industry lobbies spent $10 million in 2022 to preserve cash bail
Average family debt from one bail payment is $4,000 long-term
25% of U.S. counties rely on bail revenue for 10%+ of budgets

Economic and Financial Burdens Interpretation

This grim financial carousel spins on the backs of the poor, where freedom is collateral, families are profit centers, and justice is a bill with a staggering interest rate.

Pretrial Detention Effects

The median cash bail amount set nationwide for felonies was $10,000 in 2020
Failure-to-appear rates dropped by 20% after Philadelphia ended cash bail for misdemeanors in 2018
Pretrial release without cash bail reduces recidivism by 12% compared to cash bail systems
Cash bail leads to 40% higher pretrial rearrest rates for released defendants under financial pressure
Detained pretrial defendants are 3 times more likely to plead guilty due to pressure
Cash bail systems increase jail violence incidents by 22% due to overcrowding
Pretrial detention correlates with 25% higher conviction rates overall
Released on cash bail defendants miss 15% more court dates due to work conflicts
Cash bail pretrial release shows no difference in rearrest rates vs. non-financial release
Pretrial incarceration increases homelessness risk by 40% post-release
Cash bail correlates with 17% longer sentences for those detained pretrial
Detained individuals lose 200,000 jobs yearly due to pretrial hold
Pretrial release on recognizance has 10% lower recidivism than cash bail
Cash bail systems show 8% higher community supervision violation rates
Pretrial detention increases child welfare involvement by 25%
Cash bail released individuals have 14% higher abscond rates due to debt
Detention pretrial leads to 30% loss in annual wages for released defendants
Cash bail increases overdose deaths post-release by 20% from lost stability
Pretrial hold averages 23 days nationally, but 45 for cash bail cases
Cash bail leads to 12% higher pretrial crime rates from financial stress
Detained pretrial have 4x suicide attempt rate in jail
Pretrial release without money has same court appearance as cash bail

Pretrial Detention Effects Interpretation

The statistics paint a damningly clear picture: cash bail is less a tool for ensuring court appearances and more an engine of destabilization that pressures the innocent to plead guilty, punishes poverty as a crime itself, and inflicts collateral damage on jobs, families, and community safety.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities

Black Americans are detained pretrial at rates 3.6 times higher than white Americans nationally
Latino defendants in California face bail amounts 25% higher than white defendants for similar charges
In Los Angeles County, Black individuals are assigned bail 51% higher than whites for non-violent offenses
Native American defendants in Montana face pretrial detention rates 4 times the state average
Asian American defendants in New York City receive 15% lower bail amounts than other groups on average
In Broward County, FL, Hispanic defendants pay 20% more in bail than non-Hispanics
Black women in Georgia are 5 times more likely to be detained pretrial than white women
In Maricopa County, AZ, Indigenous defendants face 35% higher bail assignments
Pacific Islanders in Hawaii have pretrial detention rates 2.8 times whites
In Milwaukee, Black men under 30 are detained pretrial at 51% rate vs. 18% whites
Elderly Black defendants in Florida face 28% higher detention rates pretrial
Middle Eastern defendants in NYC post-9/11 saw 40% bail increases
Black youth in LA County detained pretrial at 4.5x rate of white youth
Latino women in Texas have 2.7x pretrial detention risk vs. white women
Asian defendants in San Francisco receive bail 12% lower but higher detention post-hearing
Native Hawaiian defendants in Hawaii detained at 3x rate of whites
Black defendants in Chicago assigned $5,000 higher average bail than whites
Hispanic youth in California detained pretrial at 3.2x white youth rate
White defendants in rural Kentucky receive 18% lower bail than Black counterparts
Black transgender defendants in NYC face 60% higher detention rates
Latino defendants in Arizona assigned 22% higher bail for misdemeanors
Indigenous women in Minnesota detained pretrial at 6x white women rate

Racial and Ethnic Disparities Interpretation

These statistics paint an unflinching portrait of a cash bail system that functions not as a neutral safeguard, but as a merciless financial amplifier of every existing racial and social disparity.

Reform Outcomes

New Jersey's bail reform eliminated cash bail and reduced pretrial jail population by 44% from 2014-2017
Illinois' Pretrial Fairness Act abolished cash bail statewide effective 2023, reducing jail populations by 15% initially
Cook County, IL saw a 25% drop in pretrial detention after risk-based assessments replaced cash bail in 2017
Kentucky's bail reform pilot reduced failures-to-appear by 18% using citations over cash
Washington's statewide risk assessment eliminated cash bail needs for 90% of cases
Oregon's pretrial reform cut jail costs by $15 million yearly post-2013
New York's 2019 bail reform initially dropped jail population by 50% before rollbacks
Maryland's risk-based system reduced pretrial detention by 18% since 2017
Colorado's universal pretrial release cut jail use by 30% in pilot counties
Nevada's 2021 reform expanded release options, lowering detention by 12%
Utah's 2018 reform using metrics cut failures-to-appear by 13%
Delaware eliminated cash bail in 2022, reducing average detention days by 20
New Mexico's pretrial reforms since 2016 cut jail population by 42%
Hawaii's 2017 reform expanded release, dropping detention by 35%
Connecticut's risk assessment since 2010 reduced detention by 22%
Virginia's 2020 reform decriminalized some offenses, cutting pretrial by 16%
Michigan's pretrial pilot in 10 counties reduced detention 28% with alternatives
Ohio's 2019 reforms expanded citations, reducing jail by 10% pretrial
Idaho's pretrial services cut detention needs by 25% since 2013
Pennsylvania's county reforms averaged 20% detention reduction
Rhode Island eliminated cash bail in 2022, dropping population by 18%
Vermont's reforms since 2015 reduced average pretrial days by 15

Reform Outcomes Interpretation

It appears that in much of America, the expensive and often cruel experiment of jailing people for being poor is failing spectacularly, as replacing cash bail with evidence-based assessments consistently proves to be safer, fairer, and cheaper for everyone.

Sources & References

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