TAMPA, Fla. – A coalition of religious groups bailed out three Florida men who couldn't afford to pay for their releases from jail after being charged with nonviolent misdemeanor offenses.
The "Father's Day Bailout" conducted Thursday in Tampa was aimed at shining a spotlight on the problems of people who get stuck in jail because they can't afford bail.
Bernice Lauredan, one of the group's organizers, told the Tampa Bay Times their efforts help put a face to the issue of mass incarceration.
The group worked with an attorney to identify inmates who had been locked up at the Tampa jail for a long time for nonviolent misdemeanors.
As the men left jail, group members gave them a bag containing snacks, a hygiene kit and a bus pass.