Photo: Erdenebayar Bayansan | Pixabay
After missing his court date for two pending cases because notices went to an old address, St. Louis County issued a warrant for a man's arrest. But his warrant is one of more than 300 recalled since the Tap In Center launched in fall 2020. It is one result of years of work to reduce racial disparities in St. Louis' justice system by the Bail Projecttheir provision of free bail assistance and community-based pretrial support dramatically reduce the jail population, along with the St. Louis County Safety and Justice Challenge. Each Tuesday evening at the library, where people need not fear arrest, volunteer attorneys come to meet with clients. The county prosecutor's office is ready to take calls. Clients can usually leave after 20 minutes knowing if the warrant will be recalled. The Bail Project sends them reminders of their new court date and provides transportation. "It kept me out of jail, which allowed me to continue to work, stay in treatment, and mainly stay out of the system," said one client.
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