Through a grant provided by the Vera Institute of Justice, ACLU-TN traveled to three rural communities across the state – McMinn County in East Tennessee, Warren County in Middle Tennessee, and Obion County in West Tennessee – to learn from people who had seen, first-hand, how money bail’s unfair, two-tiered system of justice had hurt people in their towns. These individuals bravely agreed to share their stories and lend their expertise and experience to better help people across the state of Tennessee – from community members in rural, suburban, and urban settings to state lawmakers considering legislative reforms – understand the dangerous, ineffective, and predatory ways the bail system hurts their neighbors. These are their stories.
