The use of pretrial detention and money bail has contributed to the 500% explosion in U.S. jail populations over the last forty years. Tonight around 600,000 people will sleep in a local jail, even though over 75%, or about 462,000 people, have not been convicted of any crime. Most are caged, in some cases for periods of months or years, because they are unable to post bail. Others are there because they were deemed a risk to themselves or their communities, often by racially biased risk assessment tools. Still others are there because they were unable to pay a fee or fine imposed by a judge in a criminal or civil proceeding.