COURT DISPOSITION TIME (THE TIME BETWEEN THE DEFENDANT'S RELEASE AND THE DISPOSITION OF HIS CASE BY THE COURT) WAS SHOWN TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR INFLUENCING BAIL RISK. OTHER SIGNIFICANT VARIABLES INCLUDED PRIOR ARRESTS AND THE FORM OF PRETRIAL RELEASE. THE FOUR MOST COMMON FORMS OF RELEASE IN CHARLOTTE AT THE TIME OF THE STUDY WERE BONDSMAN RELEASE, CASH BOND RELEASE, SUPERVISED RELEASE, AND RELEASE ON RECOGNIZANCE. DEFENDANTS RELEASED UNDER SUPERVISED RELEASE OR ON THEIR OWN RECOGNIZANCE HAD GENERALLY LOWER BAIL RISKS THAN CASH BOND AND BONDSMAN RELEASEES, ALTHOUGH THE OBSERVED DIFFERENCES WERE NOT ALWAYS SIGNIFICANT. FACTORS PROVEN TO HAVE LITTLE OR NO INFLUENCE ON BAIL RISK INCLUDED SEX, AGE, INCOME, RACE, EMPLOYMET STATUS, AND TYPE OF OFFENSE CHARGED. THESE STUDY RESULTS ARE COMPARED TO THOSE FROM A 1974 NEW YORK BAIL STUDY....ELW