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Analysis Of The Movie ' Pre Trial Release On The United States '

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Race Effects Paulsen’s review in “Pre-Trial Release in the United States” examined “one of the worst episodes of racial disturbance in the history of the United States” when over 4,000 people were arrested and over half were charged with felonies in Los Angeles, California (1966, pg. 109). Paulsen provides a clear cut charge to a question many ask, “bail problems are constitutional problems in the United States” (1966, pg. 110). In this particular case, the prosecutors argued for denial of bail, “that the police needed more time to correlate information they had on persons in custody… that persons released on bail might resume looting” (Paulsen, 1966, pg. 110). The judge found that the defendants could be released on bail, but made bail $3000 higher than normal for the crimes they were arrested for (Paulsen, 1966). Paulsen’s conclusion was foreshadowing the effects that the bail system was having on America, “statutes in the next decade are likely to improve the administration of the bail system by providing the means for individualizing bail decisions and by providing release under various conditions other than bail” (1966, pg. 125). Paulsen does discuss the thoughts judges may have when they make their decisions, citing, “some trial judges are probably influenced by the fear that the accused will tamper with the evidence. Other judges believe that a ‘taste of jail’ before releasing the accused on probation is beneficial” (1966, pg. 114). While racial disparity is a huge

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