Ohio Organizing Collaborative resoundingly supports bipartisan bail reform bills to promote real public safety in Ohio
May 18, 2021
“We are excited to support the new bipartisan legislation that aims to overhaul the cash bail system in Ohio. These new bills introduced in the state House and Senate will promote real public safety in our state by ending cash bail, which discriminates against far too many Ohioans who cannot afford to bail out their loved ones who are unnecessarily stuck in jail and privileges the wealthy few. On any given day, there are as many 12,000 Ohioans who are being held pre-trial, which hurts our families, disrupts our economy, and lowers overall productivity.
The majority of Ohioans already believe that our state’s criminal justice system needs reform. But some of our politicians have rigged the rules, demanding expensive cash bail from thousands stuck in jail and trying to divide Ohioans by race and place. We need a fair pre-trial system that sets reasonable bail conditions based on people’s ability to pay and their life circumstances.
We want Ohio to be a place of freedom and justice for all. We need to reform cash bail so we can ensure each and every single Ohioan is treated fairly in the criminal legal system, regardless of their skin color or ability to pay.”
- OOC Co-Executive Directors Prentiss Haney and Molly Shack
