Race and the American Bail System.

Option 2: Experts: NY bail reform laws keeping jail population down, but racial disparities persist (Lohud, May 3, 2022):

• This article explores the impact of New York's bail reform laws, highlighting mixed results: reduced jail population but persistent racial disparities in pretrial detention.
• Shocking statistic: Black people in New York City were 5.7 times more likely to be incarcerated than white people before bail reform, and this gap actually widened slightly afterward.

Option 3: Cash bail disproportionately impacts communities of color. Illinois is the first state to abolish it (AP News, Feb 17, 2021):

• This article features Shannon Ross, an Indigenous and person of color wrongfully accused and jailed for months due to cash bail, highlighting the personal impact of the system.
• Shocking statistic: A federal civil rights report found Black men across the US received bail amounts 35% higher than white men, and Latino men received amounts 19% higher.

The Role of Prosecutors:

Prosecutors play a crucial role in the bail system as they recommend bail amounts to judges based on charges and assessed risk. Their decisions can significantly impact how long individuals are detained before trial, regardless of guilt or innocence. Addressing racial disparities requires prosecutors to:

• Use objective risk assessment tools: Move away from relying solely on charges and consider factors like income, community ties, and flight risk.
• Support and implement bail reform legislation: Advocate for changes that eliminate pre-trial detention based solely on wealth and focus on public safety.
• Train prosecutors on implicit bias: Recognize and address unconscious biases that can lead to unequal treatment of defendants based on race or ethnicity.

These are just a few examples, and the specific role of prosecutors can vary depending on jurisdiction. However, it's clear that their involvement in the bail system presents an opportunity to address racial bias and ensure equitable access to justice.

Ultimately, the choice of the specific news story and analysis is yours. Feel free to use the links and information provided as a starting point for your class discussion and explore other recent articles to find statistics or perspectives that resonate with your specific context and learning objectives.

Unfortunately, news is constantly evolving, making it difficult to suggest a single "recent" story without knowing the timeframe you're looking for. However, I can provide several links to relevant news articles from the past month (as of December 23, 2023) and analyze some shocking statistics they present. It's important to choose a timeframe that aligns with your class discussion.

Option 1: Detroit Cash Bail Reforms to Strike at Racial Inequality (AP News, Nov 15, 2023):

• This article reports on a settlement between Michigan's largest district court and bail reform advocates, striking down cash bail practices deemed "constitutionally unfair" to the Black and brown communities.
• Shocking statistic: Nearly 75% of people jailed in Detroit, the nation's Blackest city, are Black, significantly exceeding their share of the population.