District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act of 2025
The District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act of 2025 would overhaul how pretrial and post-conviction detention and release are handled for certain offenses in the District. The bill requires mandatory pretrial detention for crimes of violence and dangerous crimes (as defined in the bill), and it additionally requires mandatory post-conviction detention for those same offenses. It also expands the definitions of crimes of violence and dangerous crimes to include more serious forms of burglary and robbery (e.g., first-degree burglary/robbery and burglary or robbery with a dangerous weapon). Separately, the bill creates a strong cash-bail regime for “public safety or order” offenses, requiring secured appearance bonds for releases in those cases. The measure would apply to offenses charged more than 30 days after enactment. In short, if enacted, the bill would tighten detention and bail rules in the District, shifting more cases toward pretrial and post-conviction confinement for violent and dangerous crimes, while mandating secured (cash or collateral) bonds for a defined set of public-safety or order offenses.
Key Points
- 1Mandatory pretrial detention for crimes of violence or dangerous crimes: Judicial officers must order detention before trial for individuals charged with these offenses, rather than allowing release on certain conditions.
- 2Mandatory post-conviction detention for crimes of violence or dangerous crimes: Individuals convicted of these offenses would be subject to detention after conviction under the bill.
- 3Expanded definitions of crimes of violence and dangerous crimes: The bill adds first-degree burglary, first-degree attempted burglary, burglary with a dangerous weapon, first-degree robbery, first-degree attempted robbery, and robbery with a dangerous weapon to the list of when a crime is considered a “crime of violence” or a “dangerous crime.”
- 4Removal of murder offenses from pretrial release procedures and related changes: Murder offenses would be treated differently under the pretrial release framework, with certain changes to presumptions and release conditions for other offenses.
- 5Mandatory cash/secured appearance bond for public safety or order offenses: For offenses defined as “public safety or order crimes,” defendants would be released only on a secured appearance bond (cash or property-based collateral or surety bond). The bill also defines and expands “secured appearance bond” and outlines how bonds can be enforced or revoked, including potential involvement of the surety to arrest and return the individual to custody if release is revoked.
- 6Applicability: The new rules would apply to offenses charged on or after 30 days after enactment, giving the DC court system time to adjust.