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Duke Law Report on Bail Reform

July 17, 2025

In June, The Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke Law published "Policy Shifts in Pretrial Detention: Lessons from the 2019 Harris County, Texas Misdemeanor Bail Policies," a report…

Topics:   Cash Bail, Pretrial Policy

Harris County

In June, The Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke Law published “Policy Shifts in Pretrial Detention: Lessons from the 2019 Harris County, Texas Misdemeanor Bail Policies,” a report that cites Texas Jail Project extensively. The report demonstrates that the ODonnell v. Harris County consent decree has shifted the lived experiences of Harris County residents significantly:

  • More people are released before appearing before a judge
  • Fewer people are required to pay cash bail
  • Bond is set at a lower amount
  • People have public defenders assigned to them
  • Fewer people are arrested or re-arrested
  • More people are able to keep their housing, jobs, and medical stability
  • More cases are dismissed and fewer people plead guilty
Click here for the full report

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