89th Congress, S. 1357 An Act To revise existing bail practices in courts of the United States, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the "Bail Reform Act of 1966”. SEC. 2. The purpose of this Act is to revise the practices relating to bail to assure that all persons, regardless of their financial status, shall not needlessly be detained pending their appearance to answer charges, to testify, or pending appeal, when detention serves neither the ends of justice nor the public interest. 80 STAT. 214 Bail Reform Act of 1966. SEC. 3. (a) Chapter 207 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking out section 3146 and inserting in lieu thereof the following 62 Stat. 821; new sections: "§ 3146. Release in noncapital cases prior to trial "(a) Any person charged with an offense, other than an offense punishable by death, shall, at his appearance before a judicial officer, be ordered released pending trial on his personal recognizance or upon the execution of an unsecured appearance bond in an amount specified by the judicial officer, unless the officer determines, in the exercise of his discretion, that such a release will not reasonably assure the appearance of the person as required. When such a determination is made, the judicial officer shall, either in lieu of or in addition to the above methods of release, impose the first of the following conditions of release which will reasonably assure the appearance of the person for trial or, if no single condition gives that assurance, any combination of the following conditions: "(1) place the person in the custody of a designated person or organization agreeing to supervise him; "(2) place restrictions on the travel, association, or place of abode of the person during the period of release; "(3) require the execution of an appearance bond in a specified amount and the deposit in the registry of the court, in cash or other security as directed, of a sum not to exceed 10 per centur of the amount of the bond, such deposit to be returned upon the performance of the conditions of release; "(4) require the execution of a bail bond with sufficient solvent sureties, or the deposit of cash in lieu thereof; or "(5) impose any other condition deemed reasonably necessary to assure appearance as required, including a condition requiring that the person return to custody after specified hours. "(b) In determining which conditions of release will reasonably assure appearance, the judicial officer shall, on the basis of available information, take into account the nature and circumstances of the offense charged, the weight of the evidence against the accused, the accused's family ties, employment, financial resources, character and mental condition, the length of his residence in the community, his record of convictions, and his record of appearance at court proceedings or of flight to avoid prosecution or failure to appear at court proceedings. "(c) A judicial officer authorizing the release of a person under this section shall issue an appropriate order containing a statement of the conditions imposed, if any, shall inform such person of the penalties applicable to violations of the conditions of his release and shall advise him that a warrant for his arrest will be issued immediately upon any such violation. 68 Stat. 747. 80 STAT. 215 "(d) A person for whom conditions of release are imposed and who after twenty-four hours from the time of the release hearing continues to be detained as a result of his inability to meet the conditions of release, shall, upon application, be entitled to have the conditions reviewed by the judicial officer who imposed them. Unless the conditions of release are amended and the person is thereupon released, the judicial officer shall set forth in writing the reasons for requiring the conditions imposed. A person who is ordered released on a condition which requires that he return to custody after specified hours shall, upon application, be entitled to a review by the judicial officer who imposed the condition. Unless the requirement is removed and the person is thereupon released on another condition, the judicial officer shall set forth in writing the reasons for continuing the requirement. In the event that the judicial officer who imposed conditions of release is not available, any other judicial officer in the district may review such conditions. "(e) A judicial officer ordering the release of a person on any condition specified in this section may at any time amend his order to impose additional or different conditions of release: Provided, That, if the imposition of such additional or different conditions results in the detention of the person as a result of his inability to meet such conditions or in the release of the person on a condition requiring him to return to custody after specified hours, the provisions of subsection (d) shall apply. "(f) Information stated in, or offered in connection with, any order entered pursuant to this section need not conform to the rules pertaining to the admissibility of evidence in a court of law. "(g) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prevent the disposition of any case or class of cases by forfeiture of collateral security where such disposition is authorized by the court. "§ 3147. Appeal from conditions of release "(a) A person who is detained, or whose release on a condition requiring him to return to custody after specified hours is continued, after review of his application pursuant to section 3146(d) or section 3146 (e) by a judicial officer, other than a judge of the court having original jurisdiction over the offense with which he is charged or a judge of a United States court of appeals or a Justice of the Supreme Court, may move the court having original jurisdiction over the offense with which he is charged to amend the order. Said motion shall be determined promptly. "(b) In any case in which a person is detained after (1) a court denies a motion under subsection (a) to amend an order imposing conditions of release, or (2) conditions of release have been imposed or amended by a judge of the court having original jurisdiction over the offense charged, an appeal may be taken to the court having appellate jurisdiction over such court. Any order so appealed shall be affirmed if it is supported by the proceedings below. If the order is not so supported, the court may remand the case for a further hearing, or may, with or without additional evidence, order the person released pursuant to section 3146 (a). The appeal shall be determined promptly. "§ 3148. Release in capital cases or after conviction "A person (1) who is charged with an offense punishable by death, or (2) who has been convicted of an offense and is either awaiting sentence or has filed an appeal or a petition for a writ of certiorari, shall be treated in accordance with the provisions of section 3146 unless the court or judge has reason to believe that no one or more conditions of release will reasonably assure that the person will not flee or pose 80 STAT. 216 a danger to any other person or to the community. If such a risk of "If it appears by affidavit that the testimony of a person is material in any criminal proceeding, and if it is shown that it may become impracticable to secure his presence by subpena, a judicial officer shall impose conditions of release pursuant to section 3146. No material witness shall be detained because of inability to comply with any condition of release if the testimony of such witness can adequately be secured by deposition, and further detention is not necessary to prevent a failure of justice. Release may be delayed for a reasonable period of time until the deposition of the witness can be taken pursuant to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. "§ 3150. Penalties for failure to appear "Whoever, having been released pursuant to this chapter, willfully fails to appear before any court or judicial officer as required, shall, subject to the provisions of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, incur a forfeiture of any security which was given or pledged for his release, and, in addition, shall, (1) if he was released in connection with a charge of felony, or while awaiting sentence or pending appeal or certiorari after conviction of any offense, be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both, or (2) if he was released in connection with a charge of misdemeanor, be fined not more than the maximum provided for such misdemeanor or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both, or (3) if he was released for appearance as a material witness, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both. "§ 3151. Contempt "Nothing in this chapter shall interfere with or prevent the exercise by any court of the United States of its power to punish for contempt. "§ 3152. Definitions "As used in sections 3146-3150 of this chapter "(1) The term 'judicial officer' means, unless otherwise indicated, any person or court authorized pursuant to section 3041 of this title, or the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, to bail or otherwise release a person before trial or sentencing or pending appeal in a court of the United States, and any judge of the District of Columbia Court of General Sessions; and "(2) The term 'offense' means any criminal offense, other than an offense triable by court-martial, military commission, provost court, or other military tribunal, which is in violation of an Act of Congress and is triable in any court established by Act of Congress." (b) The analysis of chapter 207 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking out the last item and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "3146. Release in noncapital cases prior to trial. "3147. Appeal from conditions of release. "3148. Release in capital cases or after conviction. "3149. Release of material witnesses. "3150. Penalties for failure to appear. "3151. Contempt. 80 STAT. 217 74 Stat. 738. 62 Stat. 815. Effective date. SEC. 4. The first paragraph of section 3568 of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: "The sentence of imprisonment of any person convicted of an of fense shall commence to run from the date on which such person is received at the penitentiary, reformatory, or jail for service of such sentence. The Attorney General shall give any such person credit toward service of his sentence for any days spent in custody in connection with the offense or acts for which sentence was imposed. As used in this section, the term 'offense' means any criminal offense, other than an offense triable by court-martial, military commission, provost court, or other military tribunal, which is in violation of an Act of Congress and is triable in any court established by Act of Congress." SEC. 5. (a) The first sentence of section 3041 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking out "or bailed" and inserting in lieu thereof "or released as provided in chapter 207 of this title”. (b) Section 3141 of such title is amended by striking out all that follows "offenders," and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "but only a court of the United States having original jurisdiction in criminal cases, or a justice or judge thereof, may admit to bail or otherwise release a person charged with an offense punishable by death." (c) Section 3142 of such title is amended by striking out "and admitted to bail” and inserting in lieu thereof "who is released on the execution of an appearance bail bond with one or more sureties". (d) Section 3143 of such title is amended by striking out “admitted to bail" and inserting in lieu thereof "released on the execution of an appearance bail bond with one or more sureties". (e) (1) The heading to chapter 207 of such title is amended by striking out "BAIL" and inserting in lieu thereof "RELEASE”. (2) The table of contents to part II of such title is amended by striking out "207. Bail" and inserting in lieu thereof "207. Release". SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect ninety days after the date on which it is enacted: Provided, That the provisions of section 4 shall be applicable only to sentences imposed on or after the effective date. Approved June 22, 1966. 89th Congress, H. R. 15860 An Act To establish the District of Columbia Bail Agency, and for other purposes. 80 STAT. 327 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may D. C. Bail be cited as the "District of Columbia Bail Agency Act". SEC. 2. There is hereby created for the District of Columbia the District of Columbia Bail Agency (hereinafter referred to as the" "agency") which shall secure pertinent data and provide for any judicial officer in the District of Columbia reports containing verified information concerning any individual with respect to whom a bail determination is to be made. SEC. 3. As used in this Act (1) the term "judicial officer" means, unless otherwise indicated, the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the District of Columbia Court of General Sessions, and the Juvenile Court of the District of Columbia (but only with respect to proceedings under Section 11-1556 of the D.C. Code) or any justice or judge of such courts or a United States Commissioner; and (2) The term "bail determination" means any order by a judicial officer respecting the terms and conditions of release (including any order setting the amount of bail bond or any other kind of security given to assure appearance in court) of— (A) any person arrested in the District of Columbia, or (B) any material witness in any criminal proceeding in a court referred to in paragraph (1), for trial or sentencing or pending appeal. Agency Act. Definitions. SEC. 4. (a) The agency shall, except when impracticable, interview any person detained pursuant to law or charged with an offense in the District of Columbia who is to appear before a United States Commissioner or whose case arose in or is before any court named in section 3(1) of this Act. Such interview when requested by a judicial officer shall also be undertaken with respect to any person charged with intoxication or traffic violation. The agency shall seek independ- Report. ent verification of information obtained during the interview, shall secure any such person's prior criminal record which shall be made available by the Metropolitan Police Department, and shall prepare a written report of such information for submission to the appropriate judicial officer. The agency shall present such report with or without a recommendation for release on personal recognizance, personal bond, or other nonfinancial conditions, but with no other recommendation, to the appropriate judicial officer and shall provide copies of such report to the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, to the Corporation Counsel of the District of Columbia (if pertinent) and to counsel for the person concerning whom the report is made. The report shall include but not be limited to information concerning the person accused, his family, his community ties, residence, employment, prior criminal record if any, and may include such additional verified information as may become available to the agency. (b) The agency when requested by any appellate court or a judge or justice thereof, or by any other judicial officer, shall furnish a report as provided in section 4(a) respecting any person whose case is pending before any such appellate court or judicial officer or in whose |