The Impact of Media Portrayal on Perceptions of Bail Reform

• In Event: Public Opinion about Controversial Issues in Justice Reform: Bail, Debt, and Mental Health Courts

Abstract

In the United States, about 450,000 individuals are held in jails awaiting trial, adding to the burden pretrial detention has placed on overcrowded and understaffed jail facilities. Bail reform efforts have sought to address this problem by reducing judicial reliance on cash bail through implementation of risk assessment tools. However, bail reform is a highly debated topic. Anecdotally, the media is thought to play a key role in discussions of bail reform through shaping individual perceptions. However, little research has empirically examined media influence on perceptions of bail reform. The purpose of this study is to examine how media portrayal of individual success or failure on pretrial release affects perceptions of bail reform and pretrial risk assessments. Data were collected using a randomized vignette design in two surveys of 1) the U.S. general population and 2) U.S. criminal legal professionals. Vignettes featured one of three fictional articles designed to highlight one county's experience with bail reform. Results will speak to the possible impact of media on perceptions of reform and pretrial risk assessment tools. Findings from this investigation may inform practitioners on how to minimize or otherwise buffer the adverse negative effects of media attention.

Authors

• Mindy Lee Thai, George Mason University

• Evan Lowder, George Mason University