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