Locked Up for Being Poor: The Reality of Cash Bail and the Copaganda Machine

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week, we hear the story of how the "punishment bureaucracy" uses narrative and media to maintain state violence. We’re looking at the devastating impact of jailing someone simply because they cannot afford to pay bail. We dive into how punishment systems defend themselves and the stories that police, prosecutors, politicians, and media institutions tell in order to make cages sound like safety.🙏 We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently! Support the show on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjects.First, Chenjerai talks with Alec Karakatsanis, founder of Civil Rights Corps and author of the book Copaganda: How Police and Media Manipulate Our News. Alec tells the story of the fight against wealth-based detention—from the devastating reality of the cash bail system to the ways "copaganda" is used to attack reform victories and justify the jailing of people because they are poor.Later, Chenjerai is out for a ride in New York City when his bike breaks down, leading to an encounter that sticks with him. He meets a bike mechanic who is clearly living without much of a safety net, but who carries an incredible archive of skill, a set of tools and a deep willingness to help others. It’s a reflection on the genius that lives all around us, and the uncomfortable reality of the city’s inequality.📝 Got a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself? Take the Unruly Subjects Audience Survey.Follow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod. Get in touch at [email protected] Subjects is also now on YouTube! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@UnrulySubjectsAdditional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episodeAlec Karakatsanis’s book: Copaganda: How Police and Media Manipulate Our NewsCivil Rights Corps: Learn more about their litigation and advocacy workThe Puerto Rico Report: The Transformation of the Puerto Rico Police BureauThe Body Camera: The Language of our Dreams by Alec KarakatsanisThe California Supreme Court Ruling: The Marshall ProjectDebt Collective: Carceral Debt Support the show