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Detroit Bail Project aims to disrupt the process of cash bail and incarceration

Nina Misuraca Ignaczak

July 09, 2019 |

Model D |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

The Bail Project is posting bond for men and women who cannot afford to pay and haven’t been convicted of a crime. Based in Detroit, the nonprofit has locations across the country and uses a revolving fund to bail out individuals, meaning once the bond is recovered, the funding is then available for another person. Its Detroit location has bailed out nearly 200 individuals in an effort to end mass incarceration and prove that holding people – most of whom are people of color or experiencing poverty – does not diminish recidivism.

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Rohingya Women Aren't Just Refugees—They're Leaders

Jennifer Chowdhury

July 09, 2019 |

Marie Claire |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Bangladesh, Teknaf, Cox's Bazar

The Shalbagan refugee camp in Bangladesh is one of 30 similar camps to elect leaders, except in this one women made up half of the elected officials. Over 40,000 Rohingya refugees live in the camp, and they come from Myanmar where women rarely held jobs or participated in the community. The new female leaders are getting a lot done here, dealing with anything from making sure that aid is properly distributed amongst them to domestic disputes to monsoon preparation.

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Sexual assault cases in NC plagued by long lags after arrests made

Kate Martin

June 17, 2019 |

Carolina Public Press |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, North Carolina

In North Carolina, rape cases often sit in the system for an average of close to three years. The system that’s intended to provide justice, protection, and due process for plaintiffs and defendants, has been deeply affected by a lack of funding, delays in evidence testing, and an overwhelmed court system. Moving forward, key actors in the system are hoping for increased funding and capacity to make the process more survivor-focused and expedited for everyone involved.

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Father's Day bailout: 10 Philly dads get to spend the holiday with their kids

Michaela Winberg

June 14, 2019 |

Billy Penn |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Leading up to Father’s Day, Philadelphia criminal justice organization Frontline Dads raised money to bail out fathers. Inspired by the annual Mother’s Day bailouts that happen around the country, Frontline Dad aims to not just free father’s, but raise awareness about the issue of cash bail as well. Beyond bailing out fathers, participants will also have access to services like haircuts, counseling, and job placement assistance.

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Black People Are Charged at a Higher Rate Than Whites. What if Prosecutors Didn't Know Their Race?

Timothy Williams

June 12, 2019 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

The San Francisco District Attorney’s office has been instituting “blind charging,” making it impossible to see someone’s name, race, and other demographics before deciding to charge them with a crime. This new practice comes as a response to accusations of racial bias and profiling when deciding whether to pursue a charge – citing that black people are disproportionately targeted within the criminal justice system.

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How a new district attorney is shaking up the justice system in midcoast Maine

Beth Brogan

May 28, 2019 |

Bangor Daily News |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Knox, Maine

The newly-elected district attorney in Maine, Natasha Irving, has started implementing restorative justice practices into the area’s criminal justice system. The use of restorative justice in this case includes offering mental health and substance abuse treatment, amongst other supportive services, and using prison as a last resort. There has been some pushback from law enforcement, but a willingness to try the new approach aimed at reducing recidivism in the region.

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The Cities Funding Legal Defense for Immigrants

Zoe Sullivan

May 21, 2019 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

As the struggles of refugees and immigrants drudges on, a number of cities across the US are gathering funding for their legal defense. One strategy, a legal counsel program called New York Family Immigrant Unity Project, has proven so successful that it now has 19 other counties in states like Colorado and Georgia participating in their network. Beyond that, these public defense projects often comprise of both public and private dollars and are all working for the right (not guaranteed by the US Constitution) to have access to legal counsel during immigration proceedings.

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They threw this mom in jail over a probation violation. These activists bailed her out.

Natasha S. Alford

May 11, 2019 |

TheGrio |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Maryland

Across the United States, Black Mama’s Bail out bailed out hundreds of black women in time for Mother’s Day. The organization accepts donations to pay bail for women cannot afford it on their own as part of their larger goal of ending the cash bail system and mass incarceration. Research shows that while black women are increasingly one of the largest groups of incarcerated individuals, and yet simply posting bail has led to a majority of these cases being dropped.

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“What Does the World Beyond Jails and Prisons Look Like?”

Zenobia Jeffries

April 18, 2019 |

Yes! Magazine |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

The Detroit Justice Center is providing a comprehensive approach to breaking the cycle of poverty in the county. The nonprofit law firm provides immediate support, like paying back child support and posting the cash bail payments that keep those experiencing poverty trapped in a cycle of debt and imprisonment. The group also aims high in their larger efforts to disrupt the criminal justice system, like suing the county to prevent the building of a new jail complex, and provides their clients and the community the chance to reimagine what the city could look like with transformative and economic justice.

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SEPTA quietly decriminalizes jumping turnstiles, lowers fines

Maura Ewing

April 03, 2019 |

WHYY |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s Transit Authority, SEPTA, has decriminalized fare evasion, with those who are caught facing a $25 fine. This is down from the prior $300 tickets that were issued in the past. The move toward decriminalization is part of a larger shift in the region for the criminal justice system to be less punitive and more rehabilitative, focusing more on addressing root causes of behavior.

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