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Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Bail

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver:  Bail, Jail, Bounty Hunters and a Better Way to Justice

On Last Week Tonight, John Oliver explains why America’s bail system is better for the reality tv industry than it is for the justice system. If you’re poor, there’s no justice with our bail and incarceration system. While Robert Durst skates, nearly 40% of the people sitting in jail are there because they don’t have the money for bail, and they don’t want to plead guilty just to get out…Although some do, and an unfair criminal record follows them.  Either way you plead, you’ll lose your job and more. As John says; “Indeed, being in jail can do for your actual life what being in a marching band can do for your social life.” True words!

The system is only good for  reality show bail bondsmen and bounty hunters who hunt bail jumpers down and bring them to justice.  Oh and here’s a tip. Being a bounty hunter is one of the few jobs you can perform with a criminal record!  Untrained, armed maniacs roam the country shooting people and their dogs for tv cameras.

John Oliver found out that in Washington DC, Florida and Oregon the system of pay bail or sit in jail is gone!  Non-violent offenders can go through a process called pretrial services. It’s faster and cheaper than locking people up. The accused is interviewed, tested for drugs if applicable, then goes home to await trial.No money changes hands!  Pretrial caseworker Steve Kyle sums it up: “We don’t bring them to justice, we arrangements to bring themselves to justice.”

How is this system sexy enough for reality TV?  Here is a little preview of  how ‘Pretrial Services’  might look in a dynamic reality show setting.
Meet Steve Kyle ‘The Hand Grenade’ and pretrial case worker, and his crackerjack staff:  Deborah ‘The Viper’ makes phone calls to remind the accused of their court appointments (when she’s not sending cat pictures online)                                                                                     Brett ‘The Annihilator’ works the risk assessment file room                                                Gerald ‘The Nose’  does the phis sniffing.
Oh yah, there’s plenty of action, romance and suspense…You never know who your Secret Santa will be!