My 2 Cents: New York Considering Lenient Bail Reform Law

Nearly 900 prisoners could get a surprise gift, they could be home for Christmas. On the very day that Oklahoma is releasing more than 450 inmates under prison justice reform, comes word from the New York Post that Governor Cuomo's bail reform law in New York may be going into effect early.

They sound similar right, prison reform and bail reform. And in theory, New York’s bail reform program has merit, but New York had to put a screwy twist on it.

The New York law eliminates bail for defendants charged with all kinds of misdemeanors but some felonies too, including, according to the Post, crimes like aggravated assault on a child, and selling drugs near a school.

And leave it to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to ratchet the nuttiness up a notch.  To encourage the released prisoners to return for their court dates, he's apparently bribing them, if you will, with gifts like movie passes, gift cards, and even baseball tickets-- Mets not Yankees there are budget restraints after all.

Even New Yorkers are shaking their heads at this one, some cynically asking, do the victims of the crimes get baseball tickets too?

Nah, they have to work to pay for the goodies for the prisoners.