On bail policy, Massachusetts must catch up
ADVERTISEMENT Sponsored by The Boston Foundation The Best of CommonWealth Beacon OPINION On bail policy, Massachusetts must catch up November 23, 2025 By Katy Naples-Mitchell Massachusetts has positioned itself as a leader on a range of policy domains under attack by the Trump administration. But as a national conversation has arisen about cash bail and public safety , fueled by misinformation from the White House , Massachusetts is on the sidelines. At the same time, Massachusetts has been undergoing its own experiment with releasing people who would otherwise be detained pretrial this summer—people who were denied their right to counsel while bar advocates declined taking new appointed cases, holding out for a pay raise to continue serving as public defenders . In light of these developments, now is a critical time to pursue evidence-based pol...