Hundreds of people are incarcerated in our local jail every day because they cannot pay their bail. This is a harmful, needlessly expensive reality which undermines public safety and disproportionately affects communities of color, particularly Black immigrant communities. Lancaster’s plans to build a new jail presents us with an opportunity to educate ourselves about the injustices in our own backyard, engage in collective introspection, and work together to build more just and equitable systems.
We are screening of two mini-documentaries by Brave New Films:
Immigrant Prisons Series
Bail Trap: American Ransom
After the films, we’ll lead a panel discussion with local and regional activities working in the system to create a more just and transparent future.
About the Orgs:
–– The Lancaster Bail Fund (LBF) is a revolving fund using donations to post cash bail for people detained at the Lancaster County Prison who would otherwise remain incarcerated due to an inability to afford the often-arbitrary price of their pretrial freedom. When a case is resolved, the bail money is returned to our fund and recycled to help additional people. By completing an online form or making a phone call, people can request our services and bail can be posted as soon as the same day. Our mission is to alleviate the inequity inherent in the cash bail and pretrial detention systems and restore the presumption of innocence through direct service, education, and advocacy.
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–– The Lancaster Neighbor Fund, in partnership with other community service providers and local immigration groups, operates a fund to provide direct financial support to immigrants vulnerable to deportation. The Neighbor Fund provides small grants to families suffering from hardship related to deportation proceedings in Lancaster County. These grants can be used directly for attorney fees, to pay bonds, or to help with rent, utilities, childcare, groceries, or transportation for families left struggling after legal expenses.