Take this reply with a grain of salt, because I'm no expert on this subject. I'm parroting most of what I've heard from others.

Own recognizance is a thing as well as Pre-trial programs. One of the biggest criticisms I hear about bail in general when it comes to people of poverty is that it's used in coercing plea bargains. If you can't make bail and want to plead innocent, you could sit in jail for weeks until your trial. During this time you could lose your job, damage relationships, and God only knows what else. It's scary so it can be a huge factor.

How the whole system actually works, I don't know. I'm not a lawyer and I'd argue that I go out of my way to ensure I don't break any laws myself, so I don't have any personal experience with the system. That said, I'd very much argue that a lot of people that find themselves in trouble with the law are good hearted people that had lapses in judgement or made honest mistakes. Annecdotally speaking, I've heard of cities and counties having amnesty programs where people can come to the courts to see if they have any bench warrants or warrants for misdemeanors, which if they do they can work out a plan for repaying the courts. I've heard that they're often succesful because a lot of people don't want to live life in fear of being stuck under a warrant. Like paying off debts, it takes a huge load of stress off them.