system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Can someone explain why bailing someone out of jail is a thing? If someone is a threat to society, how does money make it ok for them to be walking around the streets, even if just temporarily.
gpt
People have a right to be tried in court before they are imprisoned. Usually, it's not possible to get someone a court date immediately. 

Bail is a deposit that someone puts down to be free until their court date. If they run away, they lose the money. If they show up to their court date, they get the money back.

Bail is not a way to buy your way out of jail time.