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Recommended reads
- In prison, books are a lifeline. Yet, “prisons treat books as restricted commodities, a privilege—not a right—less essential than the right to bear arms, but in the eyes of the state, somehow just as dangerous,” writes Julie Poole in Scalawag. Prisons ban certain books, and many don’t allow friends and family members to mail books to inmates.
- In July, Washington Post reporter Felicia Sonmez sued the paper, which banned her from covering sexual misconduct for several years because she is a sexual assault survivor. Sonmez’s editors had considered her experience a conflict of interest. Journalists who are also assault survivors have harbored fears that coming forward with their experiences would jeopardize their careers or affect their ability to cover sexual misconduct.
- An investigation from KPCC/LAist and ProPublica found that in Lancaster, California, Black teenagers were disproportionately disciplined by sheriff’s deputies.
- The woman behind “Carrascolendas,” a PBS show from the 1970s that taught kids Spanish
New from BigIfTrue.org
In theory, cash bonds are supposed to ensure people facing criminal charges appear in court. In practice, this system means people who can’t afford to bond out stay in jail, while those who can afford it can go free. More from my recent story:
- A homeless man in Duncannon, Pennsylvania received a $50,000 cash bond on a felony charge stemming from shorting a convenience store 43 cents for a soda. A homeless woman in Hamblen County, Tennessee received a $35,000 bond on a disorderly conduct charge.
- People who can’t afford bond are more likely to take plea deals, even if they aren’t guilty. During a public meeting last month, Oklahoma state Rep. and criminal defense attorney Jason Lowe (D-Oklahoma City) said that prosecutors leverage conditions at the overcrowded and understaffed Oklahoma County jail to push people to take plea deals. “Individuals who are incarcerated, they want to get out of there so bad that they’re taking the first deal,” he said. “They’re becoming convicted felons. It’s ruining the rest of their lives.”
- As an alternative to bond, some bail reform advocates say courts could play a role in helping defendants make their court dates by sending out text or phone call reminders. A nonprofit that provides court reminders and transportation to defendants, The Bail Project, has a court appearance rate of 93% for its clients.
Thank you for reading Hard Reset. Get it touch with me at bryant@bigiftrue.org and 405-990-0988.
– Mollie Bryant
Founder and editor, BigIfTrue.org