As of Tuesday afternoon last week, 225 people awaiting trial were being held at one of two Greene County jail facilities — the downtown jail and the Adult Detention Center. Many of those individuals remained behind bars over the holidays, lacking the bail money that allows release until a scheduled court date.
More specifically, nearly 70% of the people detained in Greene County at the time of a 2018 report — conducted amid exploration concerning construction of a new jail — were awaiting judgment and were unable to pay bail.
That’s unacceptable, say supporters of a growing movement to change, or completely eliminate, the rules supporting cash bail. And it’s especially egregious during the COVID-19 pandemic, as congregate settings have been shown to be particularly vulnerable to spread of the disease.