Chapman released the following statement regarding bail reform efforts in New York

As New York considers implementing bail reform statewide, its citizens need to realistically consider the impact that will have on public safety and the states already overburdened budget as well as thinking through whether it will actually end up hurting the people that it seems designed to help.

In its attempt to placate the various special interest groups that have been banging the drum of so-called ‘criminal justice reform’ the New York State legislature appears to not be rushing into the same mistake that states like New Jersey have made. If Gov. Cuomo and the lawmakers in Albany are hell-bent on taking such an extremist position as ending the existing bail system as we know it, they at least owe it to the citizens of New York to provide some factual basis for their decision in the legislature.

These claims are made without any citation to a study that has been done to justify the “present need.” there’s no reference to the numbers of defendants or crime victims that the legislation will impact. There is no mention made all of the cost of this bill to the taxpayer.

The experience of other states that have implemented bail reform provides clear examples of the criminal chaos and economic disaster of shifting the costs from the defendants to the taxpayer and removing a key element of responsibility from the criminal justice system.

With no cost analysis included in the bill, taxpayers quite literally have no idea what this experiment is going to cost them. However, we can make some estimates.”

About Professional Bail Agents of the United States:
PBUS is the professional association representing the 15,500 bail agents nationwide as the “National Voice of the Bail Agent.” Since its founding in 1981, PBUS and its alliance with state associations have advanced the profession through legislative advocacy, professional networking, continuing education, support of bail agent certification, liability insurance and development of a code of ethics. Learn more at www.PBUS.com.

About President, Beth Chapman: 
In her role as the President of the Professional Bail Agents of the United States (PBUS), Beth Chapman represents the interests of bail agents to the business community, citizens and government entities. Beth starred with her husband, Duane “Dog” Chapman, in “Dog the Bounty Hunter” which aired for eight seasons on A&E. Their second show, “Dog and Beth: On the Hunt” which aired for four seasons on CMT.  Beth has spent over 30 years in the bail bond industry, and her husband, “Dog” has spent almost 40 years working in this industry.