Those who can afford to pay, get to go home. Most often those jailed for lack of money to pay the bail bond are people of color. While awaiting trial – often for months – they lose jobs and housing, and their relationships with family are strained or broken.
If working to reform the cash bail bond system sounds like you, get in touch. We welcome your ideas and your talents.
The Bail Bond Reform group does not have the resources to assist financially those who are seeking help with bail. If you live in Durham or Wake County and need assistance, contact the NC Community Bail Fund of Durham.
A prayer
God, hold close those harmed by the bail bond system. Help them find the resources they need, and mitigate the harm caused to them, their families and the community.
God, keep us committed to this work so that more people are not harmed by the bail bond system.
The N.C. Interfaith Committee for Cash Bail Reform* invites you to keep bail bond reform in mind as you vote.
November 8, 2022
Voter registration and address change form
Early voting schedule and locations
Voter look-up – Confirm your voter registration is accurate. Print your sample ballot. Locate where you vote. Follow your absentee ballot through processing.
*This voter education project is the work of The NC Interfaith Committee for Cash Bail Reform (NCICCBR), a small group of Wake County church members who have been working on cash bail bond reform. Community UCC members helped to found NCICCBR, and are active participants. This collaborative group has a local focus while exchanging ideas and resources with congregations and criminal justice professionals across the country. If you are interested in participating in their work, contact them at bbr.cucc@gmail.com.
Community United Church of Christ is a non-profit organization (501 c 3). We do not endorse candidates.
A working group at Community United Church of Christ is leading our work to reform the current cash bail bond system as one of our economic justice and racial justice initiatives. In 2019 the congregation passed a resolution charging the group with this work. Our first step has been to work within our denomination, the United Church of Christ. We took the resolution to the Southern Conference (UCC) Annual Gathering where they approved it unanimously. Now we are assisting the Southern Conference in bringing the resolution to the United Church of Christ at their 2021 General Synod.
Read more about our work so far here
If this work sounds like you, get in touch. We welcome your ideas and your talents.
Southern Conference (UCC) commits
United Church of Christ General Synod 33 commits standard print large print
There are local, state and federal elections in 2022. Vote with bail bond reform in mind.
View the passed resolution here
Introduction by Gary Smith
Why get invested in reforming/abolishing cash bail bonding (data) by David Bland
Guiding principles by David Bland
What Community UCC is doing in North Carolina by Adrienne Little
Pretrial Assessment Tools – a presentation to the community by Dr. Samantha Zottola, January 9, 2022
Getting started in cash bail reform and beyond
Dialog on a local church guide to initiating a cash bail bond reform effort by Diana Koenning and Gary Smith
Scripture references
Three NC localities’ cash bail reform accomplishments and initiatives by Diana Koenning and David Bland
Helpful documents
Educational Intensive presented at the UCC’s General Synod 33
How to get a fair hearing
Artwork you can use – the Bail Bond Reform logo
A dramatization of how the cash bail bond system works
“Cash Bail Bond Reform Sketch” by Community United Church of Christ View video here
Presentation by Dr. Samantha Zottola, Postdoctoral Research Scholar, The Center for Family and Community Engagement, NCSU
“Hope for Pretrial Justice” January 9, 2022
Benediction: Mandate, Commissioning, and Prayer by Bill Gretsch
Coming soon
