NPR: Community Bail Funds Face Backlash from GOP Lawmakers After a 2020 Surge in Popularity - The Bail Project

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This feature from NPR examines the political and legislative pushback against community bail funds. The article highlights The Bail Project’s national scale, including its role in securing the release of tens of thousands of individuals, and explores how that work has drawn increased scrutiny from policymakers. It also points to research showing that most people return to court without financial conditions, raising questions about the necessity of cash bail. The piece includes perspective from National Director of Policy Erin George, who discusses how bail funds operate and the broader implications for efforts to reform pretrial systems.

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Director of Communications and Publications

Jeremy Cherson

As the Director of Communications and Publications, Mr. Cherson directs the organization’s communications, earned media and public relations, internal communications, and publications strategies. With more than fifteen years of experience in criminal justice reform, community-based research, government operations, and research and project management, Mr. Cherson joined The Bail Project in 2020 as the Senior Policy Advisor, where he helped develop the organization’s policy team and oversaw several state and local-level advocacy campaigns. Before The Bail Project, Mr. Cherson served in several positions within the de Blasio administration at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, where his work included the development of the Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety, a citywide community safety intervention grounded in the principles of participatory justice and where he also led the DOJ-funded Smart Defense Initiative to improve the administration and oversight of New York City’s Assigned Counsel Plan. He received a B.S. in film and television from Boston University and an M.P.A. in public and nonprofit management and policy from New York University.