New York, NY – New Jersey ColorOfChange.org members joined criminal justice advocates across the state to call on members of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee to approve Senate Bill 946, which would reform the state’s for-profit bail system. Currently, 40 percent of those held in the state’s jails are imprisoned solely because of their inability to pay bail. Nationally, well over 500,000 people are in jail awaiting trial because they cannot pay the court set bonds or have been denied bonds because they would not generate enough profit for the for-profit bail industry.
“The for-profit bail industry subverts the justice system, giving freedom on the basis of who can afford to pay irrespective of potential risk and public safety consideration,” said Rashad Robinson, Executive Director of ColorOfChange.org. “We applaud members of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee for standing firm against efforts to strip the bill of many of it’s most important provisions. As the bill continues to traverse the legislative process our members will continue to demand real reform that prioritizes public safety and fairness, while preventing low-level offenders from having to suffer through unnecessary confinement.”
Senate Bill 946 cleared an important hurdle on Thursday when it was approved nearly unanimously — without being watered down — by members of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee 10-0 with 1 abstention. The reform — which now must be approved by the full Senate and their Assembly counterparts — would prioritize pretrial assessments and pretrial court-supervision, and not more handouts to the for-profit bail industry.
“New Jersey’s bail system is broken. Thousands of individuals charged with low-level offenses sit in jail for months on end simply because they don’t have the money to pay bail. “ Said Rosanne Scotti, New Jersey State Director of the Drug Policy Alliance. “They lose jobs, housing and are separated from family and community. This bill is a huge step toward fixing this broken system.”
New Jersey’s current broken bail system targets Black folks, denies New Jerseyans the presumption of innocence, their constitutional right to a fair and speedy trial, threatens public safety, and results in collateral consequences such as loss of parental rights, employment, and housing.
“Our fight will continue until this bill is signed into law by Governor Chris Christie without being watered down,” said Robinson. “Last week’s vote moves us closer to our goal of ensuring that all New Jerseyans are afforded equal justice and protection under the law.”