Cash Bail in Rural Kentucky

On the porch of his log cabin in Powderly, KY Mike shares his story about getting arrested and how he found free bail assistance through The Bail Project.

Kentucky taxpayers spend over $140 million a year incarcerating people awaiting trial. Rural counties have the highest rates of incarceration and spend a greater share of their budgets on jail costs.

In 1976 Kentucky was the first state to ban for profit bail bonds companies. Despite taking that step to protect Kentuckians, judges still set unconstitutional bail amounts that people can’t afford.

The Bail Project is a nonprofit that pays bail
and provides support to people for free. No one should be held in jail before trial
simply because they can’t afford their bail. Learn more at bailproject.org.