UNDATED (KNS) — A study shows inmates in Sedgwick County who cannot afford to pay cash bail can end up in jail for months. The Kansas News Service reports that the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas is calling for releasing inmates facing nonviolent charges without charging them money. The study by the ACLU of Kansas found a majority of the Wichita-area inmates were booked for nonviolent crimes and the bail policy unfairly affects low-income people who cannot afford release. ACLU of Kansas executive director Micah Kubic says those inmates are being punished before they are convicted of any crimes. That’s because staying in jail means they may lose jobs or leave their children without supervision. “That harms all of us. It doesn’t improve outcomes and it makes communities weaker,” Kubic said. The study calls for using no-money bail for nonviolent crimes, so low-income people are released at no financial cost while waiting for court proceedings.
ACLU Study: Inmates Who Can't Afford Cash Bail Could Stay in Jail for Months
The study by the ACLU of Kansas found a majority of the Wichita-area inmates were booked for nonviolent crimes and the bail policy unfairly affects low-income people who cannot afford release.
August 19, 2025
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