whether a defendant is likely to appear for trial if released and whether the defendant would pose a danger to the community. A defendant's record of prior court attendance is one of the primary factors that a judge looks to when determining whether to grant pretrial release. Having a single FTA can lead courts to refuse to release defendants on their own recognizance or let them post bail. Some courts rely on risk-assessment tools, which use algorithms to predict the likelihood that a defendant will not appear; a prior FTA, especially a recent one, significantly slants the algorithm toward deeming the defendant high-risk. Criticism Definitional problems Critics argue that policymakers define “failure to appear” too broadly, conflating people who intentionally flee the jurisdiction with those who miss their court dates due to forgetfulness or logistical difficulties. Risk-assessment tools tend to treat all FTAs the same when calculating a defendant's risk score. One scholar has proposed breaking FTAs into three categories: “true flight” (intentionally fleeing the area); local absconding (remaining in the jurisdiction but refusing to come to court even if reminded); and low-cost non-appearance (failing to appear for reasons besides avoiding justice). Critics say these types of FTAs may warrant different interventions. Causes of non-appearance Scholars, activists, and practitioners have criticized federal and state laws for operating on the mistaken assumption that most FTAs reflect a conscious decision to abscond. Critics believe most FTAs are the product of forgetfulness or logistical difficulties—and that, if given another opportunity, a defendant will appear when requested. They note that a single legal proceeding can span several years and consist of multiple court dates; due to backlogs in some courts, defendants may wait all day for their hearings only for a judge to impose a delay. Defendants who must go before a judge regularly can confuse or forget their court dates. Jurisdictions nationwide have reduced FTA rates by reminding people of upcoming court hearings. In New York, an effort to redesign court summons forms and notify people of their court dates using text messages reduced FTAs by 13% and 21%, respectively. These interventions resulted in an estimated 30,000 fewer warrants issued over three years. Critics note that attending court can be particularly onerous for low-income individuals. Studies have documented a lack of access to transportation and childcare as two factors driving FTAs. Defendants may struggle to make their court dates due to conflicts with