Shelby Review

John James, a House Representative from Michigan, announced his co-leadership with Representative Elise Stefanik on legislation aimed at preventing judges from releasing offenders without bail. James warned that such policies could endanger public safety. The statement was made on the social media platform X.

"Cashless bail and woke soft-on-crime policies put our communities at risk," said John Edward James, U.S. Representative from Michigan. "Proud to co-lead Rep. Stefanik's bill to stop rogue judges from repeatedly putting criminals back onto our streets without cash bail. Too many innocent people have been victimized by violent repeat offenders. Enough is enough."

In 2025, House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik introduced H.R. 5214, known as the "District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act." This legislation mandates detention for violent and dangerous crimes and reinstates cash bail for specific public-safety offenses in Washington, D.C. The bill advanced in the Oversight Committee with amendments clarifying detention standards and was presented as a response to the city’s existing "cashless bail" policies.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, a 2024 analysis of multiple cities found no statistically significant link between bail reform policies and increases in crime, including violent crime. The study compared jurisdictions with and without reform from 2015 to 2021 and indicated that public safety trends remained consistent regardless of changes in bail policy.

Data from states without cash bail requirements have shown positive outcomes. Washington, D.C.’s Pretrial Services Agency reported that approximately 89% of defendants remained arrest-free, and between 87% to 92% appeared in court. Illinois’ Pretrial Fairness Act reduced jail populations without increasing crime rates. Since 2017, New Jersey has operated a risk-based system instead of money bail.

James is a Republican representing Michigan’s 10th District. He is a West Point graduate, Army veteran, and businessman who entered Congress in 2022. He serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which includes subcommittees on commerce, energy, and health. His focus areas include strengthening manufacturing, economic growth, and national security.