To acquire bail before trial is a fundamental right that the US constitution grants you. An arrest is never the end of the world. The law gives you a second chance to prove your innocence in court. A bail bridges the gap between a jail cell and the courthouse.
In this infographic, we recap what is a bail and what are the conditions of a bail. It does not always involve the defendant paying money to the court.
The American criminal justice system is known to detain the poor unreasonably and for making it easier for the rich to escape. 70% of defendants in our jails have never been through a trial. They’re detained because they don’t have the means to pay for their bail.
Law enforcement is a delicate subject in the U.S., especially in light of recent events such as the BLM protests that have forced us to contend with the inequalities, injustices, and discrimination within our system.
When someone you know is innocent and is arrested by the police, the first thought you have is to get them out of jail.
According to The Guardian, America’s criminal justice system has one law for the rich and another for the poor. Of all these laws, most exploitative is the bail laws. In most cases, money is the sole deciding factor that guarantees someone’s release from jail.
Being pulled over by the police can be nerve-wracking. Here’s the thing: it doesn’t always mean that you’re going to get arrested or sentenced. If you know how to act with the police and think through your strategies, you’ll come out of it safely.
There are a million thoughts that come to your mind when you’re told that you’re under arrest.
‘What if the entire neighborhood finds out?’
Seeing a loved one behind bars can be emotionally and mentally taxing. Not only do you have to get them out of jail, but you also need to provide the emotional support they need. If a parent has landed in legal trouble, there’s a lot at stake, including their reputation and work.
The three words that precisely describe the prison conditions in the US are:
Let’s take a look at the facts, what has brought us to this point and the way forward:
