Though for the vast majority of defendants, this will not be an issue, there are some crimes or situations in which bail will not be offered. Whether due to more severe charges, more extensive criminal histories, or just overall safety precautions, here are some of the main reasons why a judge may deny bail altogether as opposed to setting the cost to an astronomically high amount.
Murder Charges
Understandably murder is one of the main unbailable charges because it is perhaps the most severe charge of them all. There could possibly some exceptions such as accidents or self-defense fatalities but murder inherently means there is cause for concern about the safety of society which is one of the main factors judges take into account when deciding on if bond is an option.
Terrorism Charges
Terrorism is probably one of the most extreme crimes that can be committed so it is unsurprising that something of this magnitude would be considered not eligible for bond. If a defendant has been targeted and labeled as a terrorist then they are automatically considered a threat to public safety which in turn means that they are not safe to be put of detainment until their trial has occurred.
Extensive violent past convictions
If this is not a defendant’s first run-in with the law, it still does not mean that bond won’t be granted, however, if the defendant has a long list of convictions and several if not all are for violent crimes then this would give cause to a judge serious evaluating if the defendant should be out in society.
Getting arrested while already out on bail
In the eyes of a judge, there can often be a question of whether or not a defendant deserves to be released again if they are re-arrested while they are currently out on bail. While it may not be because they are worried about safety so much as the trust the courts have in the defendant being able to stay out of trouble if they cannot even do so while waiting for their current trial.
People who are flight risks
This is another situation where bond could be denied not because of safety issues but because even with collateral, the defendant may have enough resources or enough reason to avoid showing up to their court date. Since the point of bond is to leverage resources for a release, if the defendant has so many resources that the bond cost is expendable or the defendant might feel that fleeing may be their only opportunity to run from punishment then a judge may decide that chances can’t be taken and they must stay detained.
