Cash Bail

Illustration. Black woman with Afro black turtle neck and sign saying "we're bailing out Black mothers..."
N. Jamiyla Chisholm  May 10, 2019 11:35AM EDT

Activists Organize to Bail Out Black Mamas for Mother's Day

In more than two dozen cities across the country, mothers who cannot afford bail are getting help to get home.
An old, abandoned state penitentiary cellblock bathed in sunlight.
Shani Saxon  Apr 23, 2019 11:36AM EDT

Study Q&A: Report Examines Dangerous Effects of Pretrial Detention

Colorlines talked to the authors—who hail from Vera Institute of Justice and MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge—about the report’s findings.
Neon sign reads "bail bonds."
Kenrya Rankin  Jul 25, 2018 4:38PM EDT

Bernie Sanders Introduces Bill to Dismantle Money Bail System

Bill supporter Color of Change: “When taxpayers foot the bill for needlessly locking up poor people before trial, the government is essentially subsidizing a racist, unnecessary and outright dangerous industry.”
Illustration of Black teenager with brown and orange and green hues behind black bars on white background
Sameer Rao  May 22, 2018 2:41PM EDT

John Legend Explains How Cash Bail Traps People of Color

Narrated by Legend and illustrated by Molly Crabapple, a new video from Color of Change explains how bail practices fuel mass incarceration.
Kenrya Rankin  May 7, 2018 4:35PM EDT

National Black Mama's Bail Out Seeks to Reunite Families for Mother's Day

“We are committed to building a community-based movement to end pretrial detention and ultimately mass incarceration.”
Red garage door with "McFadden's Bail Bonds" painted on it in yellow, "For Rent" sign posted over the lettering
Kenrya Rankin  Feb 2, 2018 10:16AM EST

Philadelphia's City Council Calls on Officials to End Cash Bail System

Will the courts and the district attorney’s office take up the challenge?
Asian woman in black blazer and yellow dress shirt in front of dark background
Sameer Rao  Oct 24, 2017 5:09PM EDT

California's Top Judge Stands Against Cash Bail Practices

California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye: “I support the conclusion that California’s current pre-trial system unnecessarily compromises victim and public safety.”
Two Black women with floral wreaths around their heads who were bailed out of Pinellas County Jail in Clearwater, Florida, by Dream Defenders on May 11, 2017, talk to a reporter about National Bail Out day.
Dani McClain  Sep 6, 2017 4:57PM EDT

Inside the Movement to Free People Who Are Only in Jail Because They Can't Afford Bail

Eliminating cash bail has become a focal point in the fight to transform the criminal justice system. Inside the wins and challenges of a growing movement that raises money to free people of color who are in jail simply because they can’t afford to post bail.