MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Average bond amounts in Shelby County have gone up since 2022, District Attorney Steve Mulroy's office says, citing a report by the state Comptroller's officer. A report examining bail reform and the justice system in the state of Tennessee was released by the comptroller's offi ce this month. The report also noted that Shelby County deals with more cases than the next three largest counties in Tennessee combined. Mulroy's office has taken heat for defendants let out of jail on low or no bond pending case hearings. However, according to the report, the average bond amount in Shelby County was almost $35,000 in 2024, exceeding the average in Davidson County. Graph courtesy of the Tennessee Comptroller of the TreasuryGraph courtesy of the Tennessee Comptroller of the TreasuryGraph courtesy of the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury The report found that the high caseload in Shelby County, and the lack of Criminal Court judges, contribute to the longer case resolution times as well as the extended wait times on crime lab testing. The other three largest counties in the state -- Davidson, Knox, and Hamilton -- have a total of 12 Criminal Court judges, compared to Shelby County's nine, which was recently reduced from 10. Memphis mayor, police chief say crime down 13% in 2024 The detailed, 71-page report is attached below for more information. Shelby-County-Conptroller-ReportDownload Shelby County D.A. Mulroy has pushed for local forensic testing options due to the heavy caseload in Memphis and the county. The nearest crime lab is at the Tennesse Bureau of Investigations facility located in Jackson, Tennessee, which is 85 miles from Memphis. State leaders discuss possibility of crime lab in Shelby County The OREA report also found that bail reform efforts resulted in higher average bond amounts in the county, "despite claims by some to the contrary," according to the D.A.'s office. It is noted that only 7% of the cases sampled involved a defendant reoffending while out on bail. Lastly, the report states that 60% of charges filed in Criminal Court were not changed. Of the charges that were altered, nearly as many charges were increased as were decreased. Graph courtesy of the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury “This report confirms what we’ve been saying: We are committed to holding offenders accountable while working within a system that sees some of the most serious and complex cases in the state,” said Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy. “Despite facing greater volume and more serious cases, our office has maintained consistency and fairness in charge decisions. The data speaks for itself.” In January of this year, city leaders said their work sparked a 13.3% decrease in overall crime compared to 2023, with violent crime down 10%. There were 242 murders in 2024, down from 341 the previous year, a nearly 30% decrease. The District Attorney's office says the investigation by the Office of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) was initiated at the request of Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally, who wanted a comprehensive review of several issues impacting the county's criminal justice system. ...read more read less