Citywide Charitable Bail Fund Named a Mutual of America 2019 Community Partnership Award Winner
NYC-Based Program Leverages Partnerships to Help Reduce the Number of People Detained on Bail.
NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Mutual of America announced today that the Citywide Charitable Bail Fund was named a Merit Finalist award recipient of its 2019 Community Partnership Award competition.
The Citywide Charitable Bail Fund was launched in 2017 by The Liberty Fund to help reduce the number of people detained on bail of $2,000 or less. The New York City-led strategy includes posting bail and providing voluntary social service referrals for individuals charged with misdemeanor offenses who lack the funds to avoid pretrial jail time. The Citywide Charitable Bail Fund leverages unique partnerships, including with: the New York City Council, the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice, and The Doe Fund.
Today, the Citywide Charitable Bail Fund is the only bail program covering nighttime arraignments citywide. With bond agents posted at courthouses from 6:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m., The Liberty Fund intervenes at a crucial moment – immediately after bail is set and before a defendant is sent to jail – enabling defendants to return home to their jobs, families and lives, while also bringing significant cost savings to the City.
"Since 2017, the Citywide Charitable Bail Fund has posted $843,450 in bail for 878 men and women, preventing approximately 4,000 days of pretrial detention and costs," said Dave Long, Executive Director of The Liberty Fund. "In 2020, when New York State's sweeping criminal justice reform takes effect and misdemeanor bail is drastically reduced, we will broaden our focus to provide pretrial case management to individuals released on their own recognizance with the goal of bringing equality of justice to all New Yorkers."
About the Mutual of America Community Partnership Award
The Mutual of America Community Partnership Award annually honors the outstanding contributions that nonprofit organizations, in partnership with public, private and other social sector organizations, make to society. Since 1996, the Community Partnership Award has recognized 240 partnerships from cities and towns across America. To watch videos of all of the national award-winning programs, visit the Mutual of America Foundation Community Partnership Award channel on YouTube.
About Mutual of America
Mutual of America is a leading provider of retirement products, offering personalized service at a competitive price to help plan participants and individuals build and preserve assets for a financially secure future. Integrity, prudence and reliability are the values that have guided us since our inception in 1945 and that continue to serve us well. For more information, visit mutualofamerica.com, and connect with us via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
SOURCE Mutual of America
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