California's bail system has been the subject of significant debate and reform efforts in recent years.
In 2018, state legislators approved Senate Bill 10 (SB 10), which would have replaced cash bail with risk assessments. However, voters rejected this measure in 2020 with Proposition 25.
In March 2021, the California Supreme Court ruled that setting an excessive bail amount that a defendant cannot afford is unconstitutional.
Research by the Brennan Center for Justice found no evidence that bail reform impacts crime rates. Cities that enacted reforms did not see significant differences in crime compared to those that did not.
Despite ongoing debates, cash bail and bail bonds continue to be the primary means of securing pretrial release in California.