Excessive Bail Stories
The Kenneth Humphrey case is important because it was the first case that we know of that requires judges to consider a person’s ability to pay before setting money bail. Because of this case, all California courts must consider, to a certain extent, a person’s ability to pay.
- “He stole $5 and a bottle of cologne. His bail was set at $350,000” (LA Times)
- “Defendant in landmark San Francisco bail case released from jail” (San Francisco Chronicle)
Million Dollar Hoods’ research follows the money of mass incarceration, with a focus on the Los Angeles area.
Detaining Innocent People Because of Money Isn’t Justice, It’s Criminal (LA Progressive)
Organizations in the fight for bail reform:
All of Us or None (AOUON) is a national organizing effort to strengthen the voices of formerly incarcerated people. Find a national chapter and get involved by filling out this form.
Things you can do:
Connect with organizations that work to bail people out, including:
- National Bail Out Collective, a community-based movement to end pretrial detention and mass incarceration
- The Bail Project, which combats mass incarceration at the front end by paying bail for tens of thousands of low-income Americans at risk of pretrial detention
- Brooklyn Community Bail Fund, which pays bail for New Yorkers who can’t afford even modest amounts
- Appolition lets you automatically donate your spare change from your purchases to various community bail funds