In Hawaii, like the rest of America, cash bail is big business.
>> Bond premiums cost families in Maryland more than $250 million.
>> Nearly 4,900 families in New Orleans paid $4.7 million in 2015.
>> In 2012-2016, people arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department paid out an estimated $193.8 million.
Nearly $1.4 billion to $2.4 billion is projected annually from cash bail.
Unfortunately, tonight there are innocent people in jail because they can’t afford bail. Cash bail also targets low-income families and exacerbates poverty in marginalized communities. Predatory lending practices cause further expansion of the wealth gap for families that cannot afford to repay. The compound effect of inflation, high cost of shelter and a low-paying wage all help to perpetuate generational poverty.
Senate Bill 350 and House Bill 1279 aim to reform the cash bail system. Contact your representative and encourage them to pass these bills.
James Faumuina
Kapolei
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