There is this matter that we are making industry off our criminals. Check: make that, off those who are accused of being criminals. Somewhere along the line, we decided to have what we call bail and bond. So, we tell the accused that they must come up with thousands of dollars in order to remain out of jail while they are awaiting trial. Now, since they can't afford it, they have to borrow. So, along comes this bail company, saying, Have no fear. We are here to save you. We will lend you the money, and your troubles will disappear. And, the accused runs off, gets friends to help come up with the money, and makes payments on the bail.
The bail company ends up with much, perhaps all of the money. Tell me, is this an industry? Is it a necessary industry? Who wins? The bail company makes a living off the backs of those who are accused of crime. They are the winners, here. No one returns the money to the accused should they end up not guilty. Often, those being tossed in jail are destitute of money. If convicted, they have trouble getting a job because no one will hire them, yet they still have to find a way to pay off their bail.
Can we not see this is wrong? Tossing a person in jail without a trial is questionable, at best. Charging them an unseemly amount so they can be free while they await trial is wrong. We did put something in our Constitution prohibiting this, but we do not honor it. "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed," says the Eighth Amendment.
We should see that what we are doing is wrong, both morally and Constitutionally. We are allowing our system of justice to be corrupted by those who have came along to make industry out of our judicial system.
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