Popular American rapper Curtis Jackson, also known as 50 Cent, has spoken out on Los Angeles’s crime crisis in response to the recent reinstatement of the zero bail policy. “LA is finished watch how bad it gets out there. SMH [shaking my head]," 50 Cent wrote on his Instagram account.
The “Candy Shop" rapper shared a video of a TV segment discussing the ruling, which eliminates bail for individuals accused of misdemeanors or non-violent felonies. This policy change is similar to the controversial reforms implemented in New York.
The policy, which was adopted in the second-largest US city during the Covid-19 pandemic to reduce crowding in prisons, drops bail to as low as USD 0 for suspects accused of misdemeanors and non-violent felonies, according to Fox News.
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Critics say the policy, which came back in May after ending in July 2022, is spiking violent crime. A recent study published by the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office found that zero bail policies have “horrific" effects on public safety.
The study found that suspects released without bail reoffended 70 percent more often than those who posted bail and were rearrested on 163 percent more charges. Suspects released without bail were also accused of three times as many violent crimes.
Some experts in the country have argued that cash bail is unfair to low-income suspects who are unable to post bail. In May, a reparations task force commissioned by Governor Gavin Newsom pushed to end cash bail.
“The cash bail system is at the core of many of the class and race-based inequities in the criminal legal system," the task force claimed. “The task force accordingly recommends that the legislature take all steps necessary to definitively end cash bail."
