Cash bail is among the most powerful contributors to incarceration rates. There are almost 400,000 people held in pre-trial detention every day. The U.S. has the fifth largest incarcerated population in the world, and this designation directly affects Black finances.
Even after release, pre-trial detention can force the accused to pay more than their initial bail. This can put a financial strain on families, on top of other financial consequences of incarceration.
Many who are detained for a period of time lose their jobs or homes during their stay. The Brookings Institution estimates that detained individuals lose almost $30,000 in income from being detained.
These financial inequities in the criminal legal system have the attention of many community groups and grassroots organizations who are fighting against this system.
The Bail Project and the Bronx Freedom Fund in New York City are just two of the organizations working to alleviate the financial stress of cash bail by paying bail for thousands of low-income Americans each year.