JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Bail Project, a national nonprofit, is opening an office here in the Jacksonville to help people pay bail and get out of jail.
Leaders with the project believe just because you can’t pay, doesn’t mean you should have to stay behind bars.
High bail payments lead to overcrowding in jails, broken families, and hurt the community, according to leaders with The Bail Project. That's why the organization is paying the bail of approved detainees, so they can continue their life while awaiting trial.
Jacksonville attorney LaFonda Middleton says she has seen firsthand how not being able to afford bail can hurt communities. Years ago, her client, a small business owner, was accused of domestic violence and spent months awaiting trial.
"We ended up going to trial and we won, but he ended up sitting in jail that entire time and his minority owned business, he was self-employed, was greatly impacted,"said Middleton.
Data from the Florida Department of Corrections shows over 4,000 inmates are in jails across Duval County, the highest jail incarceration rate across all of Florida. However, nearly 50% of those individuals have not been convicted of a crime.
It's those inmates that The Bail Project aims to help. The project is free for participants. Those who reach out will be interviewed to determine eligibility, and if approved, will have their bail paid directly to court.
Project leaders say the bail system contributes to overcrowding in jails and disproportionately impacts minority communities.
Middleton believes that this organization will help the accused keep their jobs and remain with family as they await trial, which could sometimes take months.
"We see again in our system where the 'Haves' are able to bond out quickly and maintain their lifestyle and the 'Have Nots', their life is turned upside down. So the system needs to be fair," Middleton said.
If you or someone you know needs help with bail, you can find more information here.