On January 30th, 2019, the Players Coalition Charitable Foundation unveiled its 2019 plan to impact racial and social inequality and also announced its 2018-19 support of six national non-profit organizations at a press conference. Players Coalition Co-Founders Anquan Boldin and Malcolm Jenkins presented the Coalition’s direction for the next year. At the press conference, NJDC…
NJDC Executive Director, Mary Ann Scali and NJDC Gault Fellow, Aneesa Khan, host a webinar on decreasing the pretrial detention of young people in the juvenile justice system. Presenters review juvenile cash bail laws and discuss a national snapshot of states where cash bail is being used to detain rather than release youth. The webinar…
The use of cash bail in the criminal legal system—as one option of conditional release—was established for the sole purpose of ensuring the accused’s presence in court. However, when the bail amount is set at a figure higher than the amount reasonably calculated to fulfill this purpose, it is deemed excessive under the Eighth Amendment.…
The National Juvenile Defender Center (NJDC) performed a qualitative study to better understand bail practices in juvenile courts at the local level, and to ensure juvenile money bail is included in the national movement on bail reform. NJDC emailed an electronic survey to a select number of juvenile defenders from all 50 states, the District…
Juvenile courts across the country charge young people and their families bail, fines, fees, costs, and restitution without regard to children’s inability to pay. Such financial assessments are common in criminal courts, but in juvenile courts the consequences of such practices are even more detrimental, as they are exacerbated by children’s financial dependence. Children may…
Young people and their families are routinely assessed fees, fines, and other costs in delinquency matters. These financial assessments are often ordered without an ability-to-pay analysis by the court. A young person’s inability to pay can lead to long-lasting consequences, increased recidivism, and youth and their families having to choose between paying fees or buying…