The long arm of the United States carceral system has grabbed hold of women in the last several decades. From 1980 to 2016, the number of incarcerated women increased more than 700%. The ills of pretrial detention disproportionately affect women because they are more likely to be detained pretrial and because of their unique social and economic positions. In this way, ending the system of cash bail is a women’s rights issue, as women – particularly poor women of color – bear the brunt of the policy.

Keep Reading: Ending Cash Bail Is a Women’s Rights Issue