[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.73,0:00:11.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Since 2000, the annual number of people\Nconvicted of crimes in the United States
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.81,0:00:17.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has stayed steady, but the average number\Nof people in jail each year has shot up.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.82,0:00:19.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How can that be?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.38,0:00:22.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The answer lies in the bail system—
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.11,0:00:25.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which isn’t doing \Nwhat it was intended to do.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:25.49,0:00:29.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The term "bail" refers to the release\Nof people awaiting trial
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.49,0:00:33.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on condition that they return \Nto court to face charges.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.15,0:00:36.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Countries around the world \Nuse many variations of bail,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.53,0:00:38.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and some don’t use it at all.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.91,0:00:44.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The U.S. bail system relies primarily \Non what’s called cash bail,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.29,0:00:46.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which was supposed to work like this:
Dialogue: 0,0:00:46.88,0:00:48.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When a person was accused of a crime,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.88,0:00:51.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the judge would set \Na reasonable price for bail.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.82,0:00:55.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The accused would pay this fee \Nin order to be released from jail
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.34,0:00:58.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,until the court reached \Na verdict on the case.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.43,0:01:01.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Once the case ended, \Nwhether found guilty or innocent,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.84,0:01:06.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they’d get the bail money back \Nif they made all their court appearances.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.36,0:01:09.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The rationale behind this system \Nis that under U.S. law,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.93,0:01:13.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,people are presumed innocent\Nuntil proven guilty—
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.32,0:01:16.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so someone accused of a crime \Nshould not be imprisoned
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.95,0:01:19.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,unless they’ve been convicted of a crime.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.31,0:01:22.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But today, the bail system in the U.S.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.00,0:01:24.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,doesn’t honor the presumption\Nof innocence.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.50,0:01:28.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Instead, it subverts peoples’ rights\Nand causes serious harm,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.64,0:01:31.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,particularly to people \Nin low-income communities
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.81,0:01:33.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and communities of color.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.64,0:01:36.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A key reason why is the cost of bail.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.94,0:01:39.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In order for cash bail \Nto work as intended,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.70,0:01:42.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the price has to be affordable\Nfor the accused.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.87,0:01:47.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The cost of bail wasn’t meant to reflect\Nthe likelihood of someone’s guilt—
Dialogue: 0,0:01:47.46,0:01:51.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when bail is set, the court \Nhas not reviewed evidence.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.07,0:01:56.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Under exceptional circumstances, \Nsuch as charges of very serious crimes,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.24,0:02:01.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,judges could deny bail \Nand jail the accused before their trial.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.14,0:02:05.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Judges were supposed to exercise \Nthis power very rarely,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.00,0:02:08.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and could come under scrutiny\Nfor using it too often.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.30,0:02:12.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Setting unaffordably high bail \Nbecame a second path
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.30,0:02:15.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to denying people pretrial release.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.32,0:02:19.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Judges' personal discretion \Nand prejudices played a huge role
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.51,0:02:22.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in who they chose to detain this way.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.11,0:02:27.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bail amounts climbed higher and higher, \Nand more and more defendants couldn’t pay—
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.63,0:02:29.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so they stayed in jail.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.86,0:02:31.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By the late 19th century,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.72,0:02:36.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these circumstances led to the rise \Nof commercial bail bond companies.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.87,0:02:42.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They pay a defendant’s bail, in exchange\Nfor a hefty fee the company keeps.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.96,0:02:46.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Today, the median bail is $10,000—
Dialogue: 0,0:02:46.96,0:02:51.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a prohibitively high price \Nfor almost half of Americans,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.09,0:02:54.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and as many as nine out of ten defendants.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.40,0:02:56.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If the defendant can’t pay,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.03,0:03:00.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they may apply for a loan \Nfrom a commercial bail bond company.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.57,0:03:04.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s completely up to the company \Nto decide whose bail they’ll pay.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.57,0:03:07.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They choose defendants they think \Nwill pay them back,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.11,0:03:11.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,turning a profit of about\N$2 billion each year.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.67,0:03:14.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, in the past 20 years,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.13,0:03:19.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,pretrial detention has been the main\Ndriver of jail growth in America.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.59,0:03:21.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Every year, hundreds of thousands \Nof people
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.95,0:03:27.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who can’t afford bail or secure a loan\Nstay in jail until their case is resolved.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.72,0:03:32.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This injustice disproportionately affects\NAmericans who are Black and Latino,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.50,0:03:35.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for whom judges often set higher bail
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.25,0:03:38.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than for white people accused\Nof the same offenses.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:38.61,0:03:43.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Unaffordable bail puts even innocent\Ndefendants in an impossible position.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.37,0:03:46.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some end up pleading guilty to crimes \Nthey did not commit.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.97,0:03:51.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For minor offenses, the prosecution \Nmay offer a deal that credits time
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.64,0:03:55.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,already spent in jail toward \Nthe accused’s sentence
Dialogue: 0,0:03:55.20,0:03:56.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if they plead guilty.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.92,0:04:01.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Often, the time they’ve already spent in\Njail is the total length of the sentence,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.67,0:04:06.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they can go home immediately—\Nbut they leave with a criminal record.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.82,0:04:08.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Defending their innocence, meanwhile,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:08.81,0:04:12.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can mean staying in jail indefinitely\Nawaiting trial—
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.98,0:04:16.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and doesn’t guarantee \Nan innocent verdict.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:16.32,0:04:19.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bail may not even be necessary\Nin the first place.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.34,0:04:23.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Washington, D.C. largely abolished\Ncash bail in the 1990s.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.89,0:04:30.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In 2017, the city released 94% \Nof defendants without holding bail money,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.23,0:04:34.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and 88% of them returned\Nto all their court dates.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.73,0:04:37.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The nonprofit organization, \NThe Bail Project,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.62,0:04:42.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,provides free bail assistance to thousands\Nof low-income people every year,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.33,0:04:46.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,removing the financial incentive\Nthat bail is designed to create.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.80,0:04:50.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The result? People come back \Nto 90% of their court dates
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.72,0:04:53.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,without having any money on the line,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:53.10,0:04:55.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and those who miss their court dates \Ntended to
Dialogue: 0,0:04:55.72,0:05:01.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of circumstances like child care,\Nwork conflicts, or medical crises.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:01.45,0:05:05.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Studies have also found that holding\Npeople in jail before trial,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.59,0:05:08.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,often because they cannot\Nafford cash bail,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.29,0:05:13.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,actually increases the likelihood\Nof rearrests and reoffending.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:13.86,0:05:17.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The damage of incarcerating people \Nbefore their trials
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.18,0:05:21.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,extends to entire communities\Nand can harm families for generations.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.78,0:05:25.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,People who are incarcerated \Ncan lose their livelihoods, homes,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.86,0:05:28.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and access to essential services—
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.34,0:05:31.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all before they’ve been convicted \Nof a crime.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.65,0:05:34.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s also incredibly expensive:
Dialogue: 0,0:05:34.07,0:05:38.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,American taxpayers spend \Nnearly $14 billion every year
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.76,0:05:42.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,incarcerating people \Nwho are legally presumed innocent.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.76,0:05:46.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This undermines the promise \Nof equal justice under the law,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.24,0:05:48.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,regardless of race or wealth.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:48.93,0:05:52.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The issues surrounding cash bail \Nare symptomatic of societal problems,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.93,0:05:56.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like structural racism and over-reliance\Non incarceration,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:56.66,0:05:58.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that need to be addressed.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.35,0:06:01.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the meantime, \Nreformers like The Bail Project
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.36,0:06:04.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are working to help people trapped \Nby cash bail
Dialogue: 0,0:06:04.58,0:06:09.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and to create a more just and humane\Npretrial system for the future.