Community and Opportunity
The Bail Project
The Bail Project: Educating About Cash Bail
The U.S. Constitution prohibits “excessive bail.” Excessive bail forces people to stay in jail – simply because they cannot pay - even though they have not been convicted of anything.
Cash bail contributes significantly to mass incarceration, with nearly 70% of people in jail waiting for their trial. On top of that, it costs taxpayers nearly $14 billion each year to keep people in jail who are being punished before being proven guilty, contradicting the presumption of innocence. This injustice harms not just individuals but entire families and communities.
The Bail Project’s “Freedom Should Be Free” PSA campaign spreads the message that everyone deserves fair treatment, no matter the size of their bank account.
The U.S. Constitution prohibits “excessive bail.” Excessive bail forces people to stay in jail – simply because they cannot pay - even though they have not been convicted of anything.
Cash bail contributes significantly to mass incarceration, with nearly 70% of people in jail waiting for their trial. On top of that, it costs taxpayers nearly $14 billion each year to keep people in jail who are being punished before being proven guilty, contradicting the presumption of innocence. This injustice harms not just individuals but entire families and communities.
The Bail Project’s “Freedom Should Be Free” PSA campaign spreads the message that everyone deserves fair treatment, no matter the size of their bank account.