UNEQUAL UNDER THE LAW

Making Bail Is Breaking the Poor

If you’re poor and accused of a crime, you could be locked up for months or even years without being proven guilty – simply because you can’t afford bail. A study showed seven in 10 individuals in local American jails have not been convicted of any crime. Surprise, surprise: These people are disproportionately poor; wealthy individuals typically make bail and await trial in the comfort of their own homes.

Shocked? Appalled? So was Koch Industries, which recently released a letter opposing the current bail policy on a moral level and advocating for a system that “bases pretrial detention and bail on risk concerns, not one’s income,” jailing only people who are a threat to the public, or who have the resources, motivation, and background that make them a flight risk. Read more about Koch’s position on bail reform with the full letter here.

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