The majority of people in jail are presumed innocent. Most are there for nonviolent offenses. Many are simply too poor to post bail, and are disproportionately people of color. Our overuse of jails carries significant costs—to individuals, families, communities, and society at large. We need solutions to start where incarceration starts: in our nation’s jails.
The primary purpose of jails is to detain those awaiting trial who are a danger to public safety or a flight risk. Jailing someone who is neither results in huge costs for families and communities—particularly communities of color—including lost income, parents separated from their children, untreated mental health and substance abuse problems, a greater risk of re-offending, and wasted taxpayer dollars.
A total of 191 applications were submitted to the Challenge from jurisdictions spanning 45 states. Meet the 52 that were selected to participate in the Challenge Network.
“Pennington County’s 24/7 Sobriety Program was designed as a deterrent to jail, giving people faced with drug or alcohol offenses a chance to be sober while maintaining a work and family life.”
“The Charleston County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council has almost reached its goal to reduce the jail population by 25 percent.”
What's the best solution? Investing in programs that divert people with substance use issues out of jail and into c… https://t.co/1hjl6D0HoU
This is what happens when our justice system emphasizes punishment over treatment. #RethinkJails https://t.co/5G2SbqO4m7
The United States has the highest maternal death rate in the developed world, with 26 women dying out of every 100,000 live births. For Black mothers, this danger is even more acute, with a maternal death rate
