“It Took Me Down a Dark Path”: The Human Toll of Pretrial Detention
After nine days of detention, Austin was finally free
The Bail ProjectAugust 18, 2026
Stuck in the Matrix: How Pretrial Detention Cost Terry More Than His Freedom
After an arrest left him detained before trial, Terry lost his home, his tools, and the animals who traveled with him.
The Bail ProjectAugust 5, 2026
From Dispute to Detention: How the Cash Bail System Can Rewrite a Life
A routine workplace dispute jailed a truck driver for 17 days and revealed how quickly the cash bail system turns conflict into punishment.
The Bail ProjectJuly 22, 2026
The Kowalczyk Ruling Is a Warning to Courts: Bail Cannot Be Used to Detain People by Default
After $75,000 bail over a $7 cheeseburger, California’s Supreme Court ruled that courts cannot jail people with unaffordable bail.
The Bail ProjectJuly 9, 2026
Taylor Could Go Home — But Only If She Had $2,500. That’s How Cash Bail Works.
A $2,500 bail turned a minor arrest into a two-week nightmare for Taylor.
The Bail ProjectJuly 7, 2026
Most People in Jail Aren’t There for What You Think
We imagine violence and threat. In practice, most people in jail are there for misdemeanors and public order offenses that track poverty more than danger.
The Bail ProjectJune 25, 2026
The Cold Part of the System: The Trial Penalty and Its Human Cost
A father working to rebuild his life is detained for nearly a year after a firearm arrest, navigating what he says are gaps in care, oversight, and accountability.
The Bail ProjectJune 16, 2026
Why We Celebrate Juneteenth
This Juneteenth, The Bail Project recommits to the ongoing effort of making freedom fully realized for everyone, regardless of race or wealth.
The Bail ProjectJune 8, 2026
Beyond Childhood Trauma: How One Father Broke a Cycle of Addiction and Incarceration
Jimmy grew up inside addiction and instability, spent years trying to escape it, and eventually found himself back in jail.
The Bail ProjectJune 3, 2026
What a Day in the Cuyahoga County Jail Cost a Mother
With four sons at home and a $20,000 bond, Rochelle needed more than release. She needed the chance to fight her case without losing her place in her children’s lives.
The Bail ProjectMay 19, 2026
