Philadelphia Bail Fund

Every day, hundreds of Philadelphians languish in the city’s jails awaiting trial simply because they cannot afford bail. Deprived of their freedom, these individuals’ lives are severely disrupted. They risk losing their jobs, housing, and custody of their children without ever first being convicted of a crime. Like many other aspects of our nation's criminal justice system, people of color are disproportionately subjected to this unfair penalty. The result is a system that criminalizes poverty, strips people who are poor of their presumption of innocence, and insults their right to a fair trial.

The Philadelphia Bail Fund is a revolving fund that posts bail for people who are indigent and cannot afford bail. Our goal is to keep families and communities together and vigorously advocate for the end to cash bail in Philadelphia.