Ep 2. Cash Bail

In Finding Justice season 1 episode 2, titled "Cash Bail," the show delves into the controversial issue of cash bail in the American criminal justice system. The episode follows civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump as he investigates how cash bail disproportionately affects low-income communities and people of color.

The episode begins with a case study of a young man named Deshaun Watson, who was arrested for drug possession and held in jail for three months because he couldn't afford his $20,000 bail. As a result, he lost his job and his apartment, and his family struggled to make ends meet while he was incarcerated. Crump interviews Watson and his family, as well as other individuals who have been similarly affected by cash bail.

Crump then speaks with legal experts and advocates to better understand how the cash bail system works and why it is so problematic. He explains that cash bail is meant to ensure that defendants show up for their court dates, but in reality, it often ends up punishing people who have not yet been convicted of a crime and who cannot afford to pay their bail. This, in turn, leads to a cycle of poverty and incarceration that disproportionately affects communities of color.

To illustrate this point, the episode features interviews with individuals who have been impacted by the cash bail system, including a mother whose son was held in jail for three years because she could not come up with the $500,000 bail, and a young woman who was held on a $5,000 bond for stealing a package of bacon from a grocery store.

Crump also explores possible solutions to the problem of cash bail, including pretrial release programs and the use of risk assessment tools to determine whether or not a defendant is likely to show up for their court date. He speaks with advocates who are working to reform the cash bail system, as well as elected officials who have implemented these types of programs in their own jurisdictions.

Throughout the episode, viewers gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which cash bail perpetuates inequality and serves as a barrier to justice for low-income individuals and people of color. The show raises important questions about how the American justice system can be reformed to create a more fair and equitable society for all citizens.