WASHINGTON, June 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Bail Coalition today called on Congress to pass HR 1885, the Citizens Right to Know Act, introduced by Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) and Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK). The Legislation seeks to clean up the abuses in the nation's taxpayer funded programs that use public funds to bail out accused criminals from jail. To raise public awareness, the Coalition also announced the launch of www.FixTaxFundedBail.com?? http:>www.FixTaxFundedBail.com" href="http://cl.exct.net/?qs=60150113cb9e1898b31e72c50bbea35d0dca949730180d05a5f042f70da28e9a" rel=nofollow target=_blank>www.FixTaxFundedBail.com.

"Most people don't even know these programs exist," said Dennis Bartlett, Director of the American Bail Coalition. "The very idea of using tax payer funds to bail criminals out of jail is an anathema to many hardworking tax payers. Congress is debating whether to continue funding these programs - if they do survive, they should at the very least, be accountable for how they spend tax payer funds."

"Tax payer funded 'Pre-trial Release' programs began in the 1960's and were designed for only a few first time, non violent offenders," Bartlett explained. "Today, over 300 pre-trial release programs are in place across the country - and they have four things in common:

• They are operated by state & local governments (with the help of federal tax dollars)
• They compete with private sector commercial bail
• They require little or no money up front for a defendant to be released from jail -- primarily just a promise to appear for trial - traffic ticket justice.
• They have insufficient accountability

Bartlett called on Congress to pass HR 1885. "These pre-trial release programs aren't effectively screening defendants. There just aren't sufficient criteria governing who can and cannot participate in pre-trial release programs. In fact, these programs aren't even keeping track of their charges. They aren't keeping records because they are not required to. The DOJ simply disperses our hard-earned tax dollars and doesn't require accurate reporting in return," Bartlett said.

HR 1885, The Citizens Right To Know Act will require pretrial release agencies receiving federal funds to report to the U.S. Department of Justice information relevant to defendants released through their programs; including their;

• Criminal history, including previous charges filed
• Previous failures to appear for trial
• Previous and current non-compliance infractions

The American Bail Coalition is comprised of America's premier underwriters of criminal court appearance bonds. From its headquarters in Northern Virginia, ABC educates federal, state and local governments on the benefits of commercial bail bonding and advances the interests of its member companies' many retail agents.

Additional information on
H.R. 1885 is available at:
www.FixTaxFundedBail.com?? http:>www.FixTaxFundedBail.com" href="http://cl.exct.net/?qs=60150113cb9e18983fa884c51cac0cfe92093e34b752ab6417eeceaa8e94caa2" rel=nofollow target=_blank>www.FixTaxFundedBail.com

CONTACT: Dennis Bartlett, Executive Director of American Bail Coalition, +1-877-385-9009, or +1-202-607-0755, DNABIC@aol.com

SOURCE American Bail Coalition