An Algorithm Is Replacing Bail Hearings in New Jersey

When an individual is arrested for a crime, they’re typically required to post a bond in order to be released until their trial. But what is the bond rate set at? Typically a judge sets that rate based on an assessment of risk that the defendant will return to stand trial. But in New Jersey, the criminal justice system will start using an algorithm based on data and predictors that assist judges in assessing the risk and setting the bail.