The Philadelphia Community Bail Fund and YASP are advocating for Philadelphia to end cash bail and pretrial detention for both adults and children. During the holidays, we worked to raise at least $50,000 to bring Philadelphia children imprisoned pre-trial home for the holidays during the 2nd annual “Presents not Prisons” holiday campaign. Presently, there are around 20 children being held in an adult jail on State Road in Philadelphia. Most of the young people are held on exorbitant and unaffordable bail amounts, ranging from $100,000 to $2 million dollars. As such, most parents and guardians for the children are unable to pay for their children’s release. Being held in adult jails pretrial increases pressure on young people to accept coercive plea deals, which in turn furthers incarceration and other devastating effects on them and their families.From December 3rd, 2019 to January 3rd, 2020 an incredible $81,200 was raised, allowing bail to be posted for three young people.
