On any given day, more than 450,000 people are languishing in jails across the U.S. while they await trial.* Many face low-level charges for non-violent offenses and are stuck behind bars because they can’t afford to pay the bail that would secure their release.

In MontCo, it costs the taxpayer $35,000 EACH DAY to have people sitting in jail while they await trial, according to the Chief Public Defender’s office.
Many poorer defendants can’t post bail, so they remain behind bars until trial. In the meantime, they cannot go to work and often lose their jobs, they cannot care for their families and the entire family will have trouble meeting basic needs, they will miss to pay their rent and often become homeless. Drug addicts will go “cold turkey” in jail instead of being treated.

To end the cash bail system for nonviolent defendants is one of several topics we want to talk about. We need to make the criminal justice system fairer, more efficient, and ensure public safety in the long run.