OUR VISION

WE SEEK A LEGAL SYSTEM WHERE POVERTY
DOESN'T PRECLUDE JUSTICE.

CALEB's Criminal Justice Task Force works to build a just society where due process is a right rather than a privilege and money doesn't determine pretrial freedom.

Liberty and justice should be for all, not just for those who can afford it.

THE PROBLEM

TENNESSEE IS
ADDICTED TO MASS INCARCERATION, EVEN BEFORE TRIAL.

In Hamilton County, 83% of individuals in jail were held pretrial while legally innocent, well above the state's average of 60% in the 2022-2023 fiscal year..

Most individuals remain in jail simply because they can’t afford to pay bail. This system endangers jobs and homes, separates families, negatively affects case outcomes and destabilizes communities.

"IT'S CLEAR WE CANNOT INCARCERATE OUR WAY OUT OF THE ISSUES FACING TENNESSEE'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM..."
-- Tony Parker, Commissioner of Tennessee's Department of Corrections

WE NEED A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT FOLLOWS THESE CORE VALUES:

LIBERTY
IS THE NORM PRETRIAL

Pretrial freedom should be a norm, not the exception. This includes freedom from pretrial restrictions like ankle monitors or unrelated drug testing.

JUSTICE FOR ALL
WITHOUT PROFIT OR EXCESSIVE FEES

We prioritize community support over pretrial supervision and jail. Pretrial costs burden the accused as well as the community. Minor issues can lead to more legal trouble. The current system can set people up to fail.

DECARCERATION
IS THE ANSWER TO MASS INCARCERATION

Focus on pretrial reform to reduce our reliance on jails. Ensure due process, especially at initial bail hearings. Prioritize citations over arrests and non-jail alternatives. Save taxpayer money and reduce jail overcrowding.

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