Tai's Story – College or Bail?
Money bail is a symptom of our broken criminal justice system – designed to benefit the rich and punish the rest of us. Tai Sherman's story begins with a trip to a popular chain market and ends with her being forced to reconcile a $100,000 bail fee in exchange for her freedom. Tai's plans for the future are completely derailed as a result. This is the second release of our ongoing series, The Bail Trap: American Ransom, which highlights issues that are fueling mass incarceration, told through personal accounts of the victims and families affected.
The reality is that 70% of people in jail are there for one reason: living in poverty. Low-income Americans are sitting in jails for days, months, and even years simply because they can’t afford to pay high bail amounts. All the while, private companies are profiting in the billions each year. This must end now.
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