Since January 1, 2020, thanks to historic bail reform legislation, thousands of New Yorkers have been able to return home to their families instead of being subjected to harmful and deadly pretrial jailing.
However; less than three months into its implementation, opponents have launched a coordinated rollback campaign grounded in spreading fear and misinformation and perpetuating a system of mass incarceration. Most recently, some New York State Senate Democrats and Governor Cuomo have begun to capitulate to the fear mongering and racist rhetoric.
As of March 18th, State leadership may accelerate passing the budget as early as the end of this week due to the COVID-19 pandemic. New Yorkers need to band together to call on elected officials to oppose any and all rollbacks or changes to bail reform.
The Brooklyn Community Bail Fund is dedicated to challenging the criminalization of race, poverty and immigration status, the practice of putting a price on fundamental rights, and the systems that drive mass incarceration and perpetuate inequality.
For five years, BCBF paid bail to free nearly 5,000 New Yorkers who otherwise would have be detained pretrial. Through its newest program, the New York Immigrant Freedom Fund, BCBF secures the freedom of hundreds of New Yorkers held in ICE detention who cannot afford to pay bond.