Tom Morello explains why the system has failed in America.
Here is his statement:
“Yesterday met with former prisoners at Recycle Force and heard their first-hand tales of struggle and redemption. One homeless man when released from prison was dropped off by police under a bridge with his ankle monitor and told he must stay there.
Several others were related that they all must pay for their monitors and their drug tests etc and despite holding jobs if they cannot afford these costs they are thrown back in jail, not for any crime, but for being poor. A truly broken system.
Right now, 56% of people in Indiana jails have not been convicted of a crime, but they are sitting in jail for one simple reason: because they do not have enough money to pay bail.
People of color are detained at higher rates across the country when unable to meet bail, and courts set significantly higher bail amounts for them.
These and other policies have led to extreme racial disparities, with 1 in every 25 adult black men imprisoned in Indiana.
The system has failed. Visit https://50stateblueprint.aclu.org/states/indiana/ to demand reform to combat racial disparities and end cash bail! #peoplenotprisons#smartjusticeIN“