For me a third big point was the one about all the people either in jail/prison or out but strongly disadvantaged on account of the parole/probation requirements. Plus the insanity of the bail system and the way poor people's lives can be ruined by being unable to post bail for some relatively minor offense, while a rich person who's done the exact same thing can just shrug it off. Seems to me like the decision of whether or not to incarcerate you in advance of your trial should be based only on whether the judge figures there's a flight risk, not on how fat your wallet is.
I am far from rich. But a 10K bond gives me a lot of choices. I can put up the whole thing in cash if I have it. I can put up the equity in my house. Or, I could pay a bail bondsman 700 dollars and he will put up the money. If it even gets that far. If I ever got arrested the first word out of my mouth would be, "lawyer." My lawyer meets us at the police station and chances are very good I leave when he does unless it's a serious crime.
A poor person has to wait for a public defender which won't get assigned until his first court appearance. Will that be the next day? Maybe. But not likely. If you have kids and no one to watch them or a job where you will be let go if you don't show up, you take the DA's offer and plead guilty and end up with a record.
It's a lousy system.
*MySmiley*
"Bustin' makes me feel good!"
Ghostbusters, by Ray Parker Jr.