Bail 101

When someone is arrested for a high profile (or even low profile) crime, one constant on the local news is someone complaining about the new defendant being released on bail. Most people simply don't understand what bail is or why it works the way it does. As a means of public service, I direct you to this column from Findlaw, which goes into a little of the history and purpose of bail in the criminal justice system. Those who really need this information won't read it, but what can I do?