When they’re stuck in jail without being able to post bail, crime suspects are nine times more likely to plead guilty and leave with a record. That statistic is one of the things that motivates activist Rachel Foran.
“I knew I wanted to do social justice work around the criminal justice reform,” says Rachel Foran. “It was really important and appealing to me.”
Foran is the director of operations at the Brooklyn Community Bail Fund, a nonprofit that raises money to pay bail for low-income residents accused of misdemeanors. When they’re released, the fund provides numerous resources, including access to social workers, educational programs, and immigration attorneys. In doing so, the defendants are not stuck in jail waiting for their trial dates and can spend more time preparing to defend themselves against charges.
Founders: Peter Goldberg, Scott Hechinger, and Josh Saunders
Year founded: 2015
Employees: 10
Where we’re based: WeWork Dumbo Heights
Moment of inspiration: “For me, it was the first time I was in a prison doing education work and experiencing the shame the prison can inflict on someone,” says Foran. “The hope and resilience I saw from folks who were there and still working on learning and growing was inspiring to me. They were fighting the dehumanizing structure they were in.”
Biggest hurdle: “A big hurdle for us is working in a court system that doesn’t really work like one,” says Foran. “It’s very disorganized, and its goal isn’t to get people out of jail. You’re working with tons of bureaucracies trying to navigate a court system and get people out as soon as possible, while dealing with really stupid stuff like fax machines.”
How we want to change the world: “Bail funds are a Band-Aid,” says Foran. “We get people out of jail, but that alone is not going to change the world. Hopefully, us coming together with other advocacy groups and grassroots foundations will bring people together to make greater systematic changes. We’re humble enough to know it won’t be just us. It’ll be us plus a bunch of other people with a collective mission in mind.”