Dear Friend,

People shouldn’t be punished just for being poor, but that’s exactly what
the U.S. bail system does. While awaiting trial, accused individuals are
sometimes eligible to be released after posting bail -- a cash deposit
that they’ll get back when their case is over -- but those without the
ability to post bail sit in jail for weeks or months even though they
haven’t been convicted of a crime.

About 70% of people in local jails are detained without being convicted of
any crime.(1) Not only are hundreds of thousands of people unfairly kept
in detainment, but too many of them enter financially struggling and leave
further impoverished. The average felony bail bond amount is $10,000: the
equivalent of 8 months' income for the typical detained person.(2) 

The U.S. bail system unfairly punishes marginalized people. That’s why
we’re continuing the fight for bail reform and joining allies in calling
on Congress to take on this unjust system.

[ [link removed] ]Sign the petition: Urge Congress to pass national cash bail reform.

The bail system doesn’t just discriminate against poor people; black
people are jailed at disproportionately higher rates and forced to pay
higher average bail amounts than white people.(3) In California, they’re
over 6.5 times more likely than white people to be locked up, often
without being convicted.(4) 

Despite the increasing wealth and racial disparities in the American
criminal justice system, Congress has yet to act. States like New Jersey
and California have already moved to reform their own bail systems, but we
can’t achieve nationwide progress without action from our federal
representatives.(5) National bail reform is far past overdue, and we need
your help to ensure our federal representatives enact legislation to stop
the bail system from punishing our country’s most vulnerable people.

[ [link removed] ]Tell Congress it’s time to reform the unjust cash bail system.

In solidarity,

Mai, along with Analeeza, Annie, Brenna, Caitlin, Diego, Eddie, Gabby,
Lindsay, Mary, Molly, Raquel, and Scottie (the Courage Campaign team)

Footnotes:
1.
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
2. [ [link removed] ][link removed]
3.
[ [link removed] ][link removed]?  
4.
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
5.
[ [link removed] ][link removed]



*****************************************************************


Courage Campaign is an online organizing network that empowers more than 1.4 million grassroots and netroots activists to push for progressive change and full equality in California and across the country.

[link removed]


Like what we do? Chip in to help fund the fight for a more progressive nation.
[link removed]


You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time:
[link removed]