The Bail Project

06/19/2026

Honor Juneteenth by giving someone access to equal justice.

Cash bail is an example of the inequality that persists long after June 19th, 1865. Black Americans are arrested at five times the rate of white Americans, and once in jail, courts impose bail amounts that are $10,000 higher on average. This leads to increased conviction rates, longer sentence lengths, and a higher likelihood of future involvement in the justice system for Black individuals. Free bail assistance breaks that cycle.

Our client, Tyree was separated from his daughters and family for 11 months while in jail pretrial. During that time, his brother died. Without The Bail Project, he would not have been able to return home. “That support helped so much,” he said. “I was able to get out there and help support my family.”

Stand with The Bail Project this Juneteenth to ensure everyone is treated with dignity – no matter the color of their skin or how much money they have. Give $19 for June 19th today!

https://bailproject.org/june19/?utm_source=socialorg&utm_campaign=juneteenth&utm_medium=facebook

06/18/2026

161 years ago on June 19th, the last enslaved Americans were informed of their freedom in Galveston Bay, Texas - two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

But today, that promise of freedom is broken: Black Americans are five times more likely to be incarcerated than white Americans facing the exact same charges.

Join The Bail Project to commemorate this Juneteenth, as we fight to ensure that our pretrial system is based in equality and prioritizes our foundational rights to freedom.

Visit our link in bio to donate $19 for June 19th.

06/18/2026

Juneteenth reminds us that freedom is more than a legal principle – it must also be a lived reality. Today, nearly 500,000 legally innocent people sit in jail before trial, often simply because they can't afford bail. Though deemed safe for release by a judge and not convicted of a crime, they remain incarcerated because they lack the financial means to secure their freedom.

The Bail Project's latest article explores why Juneteenth remains deeply connected to the fight for a more equitable justice system – and why dismantling wealth-based barriers to freedom remains urgent work.

Who gets to be free, and under what conditions?

🔗 Read more: https://bailproject.org/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.

06/17/2026

Tyree spent eleven months in jail researching case law, filing grievances, and becoming his own legal advocate.

He faced what is often called the "trial penalty" where prosecutors decide what charges to bring, what deal to offer, and what punishment someone could face if they reject the deal. The process felt stacked against him.

After nearly a year in jail, The Bail Project connected with Tyree and paid his bail. And the time he spent studying the law got him thinking. He wanted to take what he had learned about the system and use it to help others in a similar position. That's when he became a paralegal.

"I want to be that advocate. I want to be that voice. I don't want nobody to feel like they're just another folder on a desk."

A father working to rebuild his life is detained after an arrest, navigating what he says are gaps in care and accountability.

06/12/2026

Juneteenth marks a milestone for freedom, but the fight for true equity continues. Bail decisions are often made in under five minutes and rarely require evidence. Judges instead rely on subjective assessments of "flight risk" and "dangerousness" that are often deeply influenced by racial bias.

These biases lead to bail amounts that are $10,000 higher on average for Black Americans – locking Black families into cycles of instability. Our client, Rochelle not only lost her job while in jail before trial, but also lost custody of her children. Without a way to access, let alone support, her four young boys, she worried for their safety until The Bail Project was able to bring her home.

This June 19th and always, The Bail Project is ensuring people have access to equal justice, no matter the color of their skin or how much money they have. Join us at bailproject.org/june19!

06/11/2026

Su***de is a leading cause of death in America’s jails. And the Oklahoma County Jail has one of the highest mortality rates in the country, with one quarter of those who died having taken their own lives.

Unaffordable bail keeps people trapped in jail when they would otherwise go home if they could afford to pay. And for those experiencing a mental health crisis, even a few days in jail can have dire consequences. On average, suicides in jail happen just 9 days after incarceration.

By paying bail for those in need, for free, and providing free pretrial support, The Bail Project is helping people struggling with mental illness come home before trial – preventing them from experiencing additional trauma or having their conditions worsen due to incarceration.

Community release with support can save lives. Join us at the link in our bio.

06/09/2026

"The first time I started using, it was with my mother," Jimmy said. Then, just weeks before his 13th birthday, he used crystal m**h with his aunt. He describes addiction, instability, and gang violence as "familiar territory."

Jimmy worked hard to build an adult life that looked nothing like his childhood. He served as a minister for 17 years, and in that time, got married and had a son.

But then, Jimmy's mother moved back in with him. Three times, he came home to find her getting high in front of his child. He made what he called "the biggest decision of my life" and told her to leave. That night, she overdosed and died.

What happened next sent Jimmy into a downward spiral of relapse and incarceration. But with The Bail Project's help, it also led him back to himself. "I'm living proof that there is a way out."

Jimmy grew up inside addiction, instability, and childhood trauma, spending years trying to escape, eventually finding himself back in jail.

06/05/2026

At The Bail Project, we believe everyone deserves equal justice – no matter their gender, sexuality, or how much money they have. As we celebrate Pride Month, we're reminded of the disproportionate impact that cash bail and pretrial incarceration have on the LGBTQ+ community.

LGBTQ+ people face higher incarceration rates and a greater risk of violence while in jail pretrial. For clients like Kayleann, being incarcerated in a jail that did not match her gender identity was life-threatening. As a self described fun and active woman who likes to put smiles on people’s faces, her own joy and safety deteriorated the moment handcuffs were placed on her wrists. She faced physical, verbal, and sexual assault while incarcerated for nearly two months until The Bail Project secured her release.

Now, Kayleann's case is closed. Her biggest dream is to find unconditional love in someone "who loves me for me and won't hurt me.”

Clients like Kayleann deserve care, not incarceration. Through free bailouts and pretrial support, we’re reuniting LGBTQ+ individuals with their communities as we continue the fight for liberation for all. Join us this at bailproject.org!

06/04/2026

For some people, a day in jail may sound brief. For Rochelle, a single mother, that short time carried the weight of her family's future. Within 24 hours, her four young children were taken from her and her job was at stake. What she needed more than release from jail was the chance to fight her case without losing a place in her children's lives.

“The time you have away from your kids, anything can happen and then it’s out of your control.”

Being bailed out meant she could return to her life and focus on getting her children back. When her sons return, she wants to keep them healthy and safe. “It allowed me to fight it from the outside and still be a mother,” she says.

With four sons at home and a $20,000 bond, Rochelle needed more than release from the Cuyahoga County Jail.

05/29/2026

At 21, Dasia worked as a correctional officer, seeing the system from the outside in. Years later, she found herself on the other side of those very same bars.

She was arrested for missing a court date for driving with a suspended license case, because the notice was sent to the wrong address. Her bail was set to $250, an amount she could not afford.

After 12 days in jail, Dasia was connected with The Bail Project. One of our Bail Disruptors stepped in to secure her release, allowing her to work on her case from a place of freedom.

At The Bail Project, we are proving that cash bail is unnecessary – 92% of our clients return to court without any of their money on the line. With our support, clients like Dasia are able to rebuild their lives without the constraints of being behind bars pretrial. Click our link in bio to learn more about Dasia and how you can make a difference!