Part 4/10:
The impact of pretrial detention is devastating. Over two-thirds of the approximately 750,000 people in U.S. jails have not been convicted of a crime — they are legally innocent but detained mainly because they can't afford bail. This incarceration can be a life-altering event, causing people to lose jobs, housing, and custody of children, while also indebting them further into poverty.
Studies show that even short jail stays—just four days—can increase the likelihood of reoffending by 35%. The cycle of arrest and detention exacerbates social inequities, particularly affecting communities of color where individuals are twice as likely to be unable to make bail and more likely to pay higher bail amounts for the same offenses.