Examines the causes for mass incarceration of Americans and calls for the reform of the bail system. Traces the history of bail, how it has come to be an oppressive tool of the courts, and makes recommendations for reforming the bail system and alleviating the mass incarceration problem.

Federal Bail and Detention Handbook provides you with a thorough, practical understanding of the essential history, provisions, and appellate case law of the seminal Federal Bail Reform Act of 1984.

This is a study of major national efforts in the past 15 years to reduce the impact of money, and the lack of it, in determining whether a criminal defendant obtains freedom prior to trial. Thomas offeres the results of a national study on bail reform since its beginning with the Manhattan Bail Project of 1961 and a survey of the major operational changes in the bail system since then.