Tamara was watching “Stranger Things,” on Netflix, when two officers came knocking on her door last month. Tamara’s son tried to use a fire extinguisher to spray people. Tamara was accompanied by an officer as she walked to her car and took out her purse. She then handed her driver’s licence. As she described her son’s behavior issues, Tamara realized she had nothing to hide. He listened to his earpiece, and the officer nodded. Police returned with two squad cars, and a van that evening. Tamara was told by police that Tamara had a Hinds County non-violent felony warrant for 2017. Tamara had never heard of it. The mother of three and social worker was handcuffed and taken to the downtown Jackson jail. (Tamara asked for her first name, as she was afraid of losing her job. Tamara, 37 years old, was shocked by her arrest and struggled to adjust to the new surroundings. It was difficult to keep track of the time and it was difficult to fall asleep. Other women in her cellblock offered soap and other necessities. In an interview, she said that “you don’t even own power over your body.” “The fundamental right of a human being — it’s lost.” She was able to reach her mother who connected with local organizers. Tamara was assessed by a lawyer and two social workers from the Mississippi Bail Out Collective the next day. The Bail Out Collective assisted Tamara to get a bail hearing before a judge, and she was released with the full $5,000 bond. Tamara is now out of jail and maintains her innocence. She is currently fighting the charges in court. The state’s first bail money is Mississippi Bail Out Collective. The collective released Tamara and two more women from prison last month as part of a national effort to bail out black mothers in time for Mother’s Day. The fund was formed by Jackson-area organizations such as Black With No Chaser and Clean Slate Health Services. One Voice, Mississippi Votes, Mississippi Votes, and the Office of the State Public Defender. It aims to release many Mississippians who are being held on criminal charges but have not been convicted. Rukia Lumumba, a partner in the fund, said that the People’s Advocacy Institute hopes that people will see that the fund is trying to fix a problem within the system and create a system that is about community safety and accountability. Lumumba stated that the fund was modeled after the National Bail Out group. In recent years, bail funds have been established across the country by organizers. Many of these funds are based on the belief that a person’s freedom shouldn’t be tied to their ability to pay bail. Other bail funds in the US often post bail for misdemeanors. The Mississippi Bail Out Collective focuses its attention on those charged with felony crimes within Hinds County. This is the most populous county in the state and home to Jackson, its capital. Lumumba explained that few people are held in Hinds County jails currently on misdemeanor bail. This is partly due to a 2016 consent order with the federal government to improve the county’s criminal justice systems. A decrease in cash bail could be caused by changes to the state’s criminal procedure rules in 2017. Although Mississippi does not have a comprehensive database on the people in jail, a Bureau of Justice Statistics census from 2013 found that Mississippi is second in terms of the number of local jail inmates. The MacArthur Justice Center recently conducted a census that included over 5,700 people in local jails, as well as 2,700 people who were held longer than 90 days. Studies show that people who are held in jail for longer periods of time after being arrested are more likely not to find work. They are also more likely than those who are unable to pay bail to be convicted. Judges often place higher bail for African Americans and lower bail for whites. The fund’s organizers claim that the collective will help those who can’t pay bail and get out of jail. The fund will connect these people to mental and physical health services, housing, and basic needs care. Simone Windom, who is an organizer for the fund, said that “as soon as someone’s released, they’ve got their back 100%.” She was formerly bailed out from the National Bail Out Collective (the case was dropped later). Fwd.us, the National Bail Out Collective and National Criminal Justice Reform Group Fwd.us provided Tamara and one other woman’s bonds last month. The fund also worked to release a third stage four-cancer patient on compassionate release. The bail fund organizers stated that the fund will also accept donations from the general public for future events. The bail money will be returned to the person who posted bail. Zoe Towns, Fwd.us said that the Mississippi Bail Out Collective is an important step towards reforming Mississippi’s bail system and ending money bail. Commercial bail agents can charge defendants using their services in Mississippi 10 percent of the bond’s value and a $50 fee. This money is often not returned to defendants. The Marshall Project conducted an investigation last year and found that Mississippi bail agencies took in $43,000,000 in fees over 18 months. Lumumba stated that it was “real cash for bodies.” Chris Williams, president of Mississippi Bail Agents Association, said that the group does not hold a position on the new bail funds. Tamara said that she was able to retain her home, job and vehicle while she was in jail thanks to the collective’s assistance. She could also retain an attorney to help her case. She began to collect messages and contact information from family and friends of the other women in her cellblock, after she found out that the fund was posting her bail. Tamara stated that the next day she was “burning up the line”.