Bail Industry News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

That's a fee. paid to a bondsman that you will never get back. even if you are not guilty, even if the charges are dropped. add on interest from payment plans and fees, often the debt can last for years. iowa district judge robert hanson says the system is flawed. >> the thing i know is that monetary bonds do not guarantee that the bad people stay in jail, and monetary bonds do not guarantee that the safe people are released. >> many states are making changes to move away from relying on money bail. but cnn found that the business that profits from the current system, the powerful bail industr...

Arrested. >> the vast majority of people who are being detained pending trial have been legally released by the courts, just had money bonds set and unable to make them. >> reporter: 65% of people sitting in jails right now are not convicted. they're just awaiting trial. many trapped by the unaffordable price of their release. cherese birdine with the pretrial justice institute said those sitting in jail who have jobs will also almost assuredly lose them. >> and what research shows us is that someone who loses their job, losing their source of income and then housing and destabilizes their fam...

Attorney. >> they are forced between three impossible choices. one, they could remain in jail during the pending of the criminal case that can take months or years. two, they can plead guilty or three, go to a bail bonds man but this third option is not as simple as it sounds. >> is this ruining people's lives? >> absolutely. the scale of this bail industry is massive. >> the bail bond industry takes in roughly $2 billion every year, according to the american civil liberties union, almost exclusive oh on the backs of the poor but if the purpose of money bail is to make defendants return to cou...

Often the debt can last i years. robert hansen, iowa district judge, says the system is flawed. >> bonds do not guarantee the bad people stay in jail and monetary bonds do not guarantee that the safe people are released. >> reporter: many states are making changes to move away from relying on money bail, but cnn has found out that the business that profits from the current system, the powerful bail industry, is working hard to stop reform. it has derailed, stalled or killed reform efforts in at least nine states. one of the best examples, iowa, a pilot program called the public safety assessme...

Profits from the current system, the powerful bail industry, is working hard to stop reform. it has derailed, stalled or killed reform efforts in at least nine states. one of the best examples, iowa. a pilot program called the public safety assessment tool gave judges more information about defendants, and those deemed low risk could get out of jail without having to pay bail. an twon stewart arrested for stealing beer was able to walk to his job at a bakery every day instead of sitting in jail. >> that's why i say it saved my life. >> cnn talked to more than a dozen officials in the legal sys...