‘Soft-on-crime’ bail reform aids Memphis criminals over its taxpayers
In February, a violent criminal set off a citywide manhunt after going on a horrific rampage through the city of Memphis — carjacking a woman in a church parking lot, shooting two women after breaking into a hair salon, and killing an innocent teenager outside a strip mall.
It was a shocking act of violence that has tragically become all too common in Memphis. While the city has long struggled with crime, violent crime has skyrocketed to a record high in recent years, with homicides up 52%between 2022 and 2023.
Perhaps most frustratingly, the recent crime spree could have been prevented: Just before his disturbing attack, the 20-year-old suspect, Courdarion Craft, was in police custody after being arrested for attempted first-degree murder in an entirely separate case.
Yet, local authorities released Craft — a repeat criminal who has previously faced charges of property theft and evading arrest — on bail. As a result, countless lives have been shattered and a family lost their 18-year-old son.
Families should not have to endure these tragedies
Many Memphians are now wondering: How can a criminal charged with attempted murder be released onto the streets to continue terrorizing the community?
Unfortunately, this happens in Memphis far too often.
In May, a repeat criminal posted bail after shooting and injuring an off-duty Memphis Police Department officer while attempting to break into a parked vehicle.
One month later, a gunman — while out on bail for carjacking and employing a firearm with intent to commit a dangerous felony — shot and killed a man during an attempted carjacking.
And in November, a Memphis judge released on recognizance the suspected murderer of a 15-yearold boy, who was shot and killed outside his grandmother’s house on Thanksgiving morning.
These tragedies should never happen to any family. But across the country, soft-on-crime district attorneys and judges have pushed radical bail policies that put criminals back on the streets and place law-abiding citizens in danger.
Don’t put bail reform ahead of the needs of crime victims
As crime spikes in Memphis, for example, the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office has spearheaded bail reform that makes it easier for criminals to avoid pre-trial detention. This initiative parallels efforts by far-left DAS — from New York and Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles and Chicago — to ease cash bail requirements or prohibit cash bail altogether, bringing disastrous consequences.
After New York State implemented so-called bail reform in 2019, two-thirds of offenders out on bail with a prior violent felony arrest were arrested again within two years of arraignment, according to a recent study. And within just two and a half months of the law’s enactment, crime in New York City rose 20% compared with the previous year, the Manhattan Institute found.
One thing is clear: Far-left bail policies put the interests of criminals ahead of the interests of law enforcement, families, and hardworking taxpayers.
While addressing crime is the primary responsibility of local governments, there are important steps the federal government can take to ensure public safety. That’s why, in the U.S. Senate, I’m introducing the Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act, which would do much to deter states and localities from pushing pro-crime policies that harm Tennesseans and make cities like Memphis less safe.
Crucially, this legislation would block any state or local government from receiving federal funds if they have a policy that prohibits the use of cash bail for all offenders, or if they refuse to employ pretrial detention practices for every violent offender, including juvenile offenders.
With crime spiking in Memphis and cities across the country, it is essential that local governments protect residents and put violent criminals behind bars—where they belong. The Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act will ensure that happens.