Pretrial Detention in Shelby County, Tennessee

The Center for Community Research and Evaluation (CCRE) conducted an evaluation on the Standing Bail Order in Shelby County, Tennessee. The project, supported by Arnold Ventures, encompasses two components. First, we supported Shelby County with their reporting obligations under the Standing Bail Order, and the bail/bond system broadly, to the County Commission. Second, we completed a rigorous statistical study, using a regression discontinuity design, to assess the public policy and public safety impacts of the Standing Bail Order.

What is the Standing Bail Order?

The Standing Bail Order is an order of Shelby County General Sessions Court adopted on August 15, 2022, in tandem with a Shelby County Commission resolution passed one week prior. The Order created a bail hearing courtroom, required individualized bail hearings with counsel no later than three days after arrest for defendants held in custody on unaffordable bail following initial bail setting, required the examination of a defendant’s financial circumstances prior to any decision, added court reminders, and imposed secured money bail only as a last resort. These new procedures are intended to increase the fairness of the bail process by reducing the extent to which individuals are incarcerated solely due to their financial status, increasing defendants’ access to timely bail hearings, and ensuring that constitutional protections are provided to defendants with fidelity.

How can I read CCRE's reports pertaining to this project?

• In August 2025, we completed our statistical evaluation of the Standing Bail Order.
  • Click here to read our policy brief summarizing our key findings.
  • Our full study, supported by Dr. Doyun Koo and Dr. Timothy McCuddy, was submitted for consideration to the Journal of Experimental Criminology. The full study is available here.
• In March 2025, we presented a report to the Shelby County Commission. This report is available here.
• In September 2024, we presented our first report to the Shelby County Commission. This report is available here.

For questions on these reports, contact the Principal Investigator: Dr. Jonathan Bennett.