Who We Are
The Bail Project is a national nonprofit organization that pays bail for people in need, reuniting families and restoring the presumption of innocence. Today, in America, two people charged with exactly the same thing will experience radically different legal systems based on the size of their bank account and the color of their skin. We’re on a mission to change this. We believe that paying bail for someone in need is an act of resistance against a system that criminalizes race and poverty. Over the next five years, The Bail Project will scale its immediate relief efforts to dozens of high-need jurisdictions and secure freedom for tens of thousands of people, while demonstrating that our approach offers an effective alternative to unaffordable cash bail.
What We Do
We work with public defenders and community-based organizations to identify people in need of bail assistance. We also research jail websites to find people trapped by unaffordable cash bail. After interviewing each client and determining eligibility, we pay their bail and develop a support strategy to ensure they can come back to court and engage with their legal process in a meaningful way. We remind clients about their court dates and help problem solve when obstacles arise. We connect clients to voluntary services and provide support, including transportation assistance, as needed. We elevate our clients’ experiences through storytelling and collect data to support advocacy and foster public understanding of the need for reform.
