system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: Bail bonds are unjust and stupid.

I don't understand why bail bonds are a thing. Bail in general is definitely good, locking people up before their trials unneccesarily is something we should want to minimise. but why on earth is it that you typically need to post up money for bail? either someone is a flight risk/danger to the community, or they arent, whatever money they put up for bail doesn't change that. breaking bail conditions is already a crime that youll recieve extra punishment for, that should be enough, right? To me, all it seems to do is punish poor people who can't afford bail.
gpt
World is not black and white. We cannot say that this person will break their bail and this won't. If we knew that before hand we would lock up the dangerous people and let others walk.

Instead we ask "How likely is it that this person will run?" and "How much extra punishment we should place on them to discourage that running?". That is bail money. You give some money as carentee that you will return to your court hearing. After that you get your money back no matter how the hearing goes. If you don't come back that money is extra punishment in top of not showing up.

To run away you also need money. Money you might not have because you just paid bail.