The Bail Project, Author at The Bail Project

Terry was arrested and put into pretrial detention

CLIENT STORIES

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

The cash bail system upended Thomas's life

CLIENT STORIES

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

LEARN

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

The feature image for a story about how cash bail works

CLIENT STORIES

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

LEARN

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

Learn more about the "trial penalty" and how it impacts those who are incarcerated.

CLIENT STORIES

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

LEARN

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

Jimmy suffered from severe childhood trauma

CLIENT STORIES

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

Rochelle talks about her time in the Cuyahoga County Jail

CLIENT STORIES

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

The Bail Project opposes U.S. House of Representatives' passage of dangerous bail bills

PRESS RELEASES

The Bail Project Opposes House Passage of Federal Bills Threatening Bail Reform and States’ Rights

Bills would pressure states to rely on wealth-based detention, expand federal overreach into local pretrial policy, and expose charitable bail organizations to criminal liability.

The Bail ProjectMay 14, 2026

Donate to reunite a family today.

A family like Sandra’s. Read her story below.

Donate to bring someone home today.

Someone like Robert. Read his story below.

Donate to pay someone’s bail today.

Someone like Michael. Read his story below.

Donate to pay someone’s bail today.

Someone like Ashley. Read her story below.

Donate to bring someone home today.

Someone like Sherry. Read her story below.

The Bail Project

Stuck in the Matrix: How Pretrial Detention Cost Terry More Than His Freedom

From Dispute to Detention: How the Cash Bail System Can Rewrite a Life

The Kowalczyk Ruling Is a Warning to Courts: Bail Cannot Be Used to Detain People by Default

Taylor Could Go Home — But Only If She Had $2,500. That’s How Cash Bail Works.

Most People in Jail Aren’t There for What You Think

The Cold Part of the System: The Trial Penalty and Its Human Cost

Why We Celebrate Juneteenth

Beyond Childhood Trauma: How One Father Broke a Cycle of Addiction and Incarceration

What a Day in the Cuyahoga County Jail Cost a Mother

The Bail Project Opposes House Passage of Federal Bills Threatening Bail Reform and States’ Rights

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Donate to reunite a family today.

A family like Sandra’s. Read her story below.

Donate to bring someone home today.

Someone like Robert. Read his story below.

Donate to pay someone’s bail today.

Someone like Michael. Read his story below.

Donate to pay someone’s bail today.

Someone like Ashley. Read her story below.

Donate to bring someone home today.

Someone like Sherry. Read her story below.

The Bail Project

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