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The main goal of punishment is deterrence. If you are punished, you should learn not to do the bad action again. Bail punishes people before they’ve been proven guilty or not. The 8th Amendment states, “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” Being fined for your freedom at exorbitant costs for being accused of a crime is without a doubt a cruel form of punishment. The ability to pay bail is solely based upon a person’s financial security. Therefore bail is yet another system that benefits the rich. John Oliver gives the comparison of Robert Durst paying a bail of $250,000, then fleeing from charges of murder, to a man named Miguel who was charged with $1,000 for driving with a suspended license. He could not afford bail, and had to wait for his trial in Rikers Prison..
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