Post written by Daniel Prinn; Interview conducted by Arpit Nayak
In a documentary that feels so relevant to todayâs conversations and issues, âTrapped: Cash Bail in Americaâ is an important film. Itâs about the cash bail system within America which is prejudiced against the poor. Itâs also prejudiced against people of colour (for Black people, itâs 25 per cent more likely their bail amount is higher).
The documentary opens with a Lyndon Johnson quote expressing that a defendant with money can buy their freedom; but the poor defendant stays in jail simply because theyâre poor. With that, we meet people affected by the system. This includes a young woman, Brianna, in prison because her bail amount was set at $50,000. Another story is about William Evans, a community activist who spent 11 months in Rykerâs Island because he couldnât post his bail. Theyâre both literally trapped in their situations.
We also see the people fighting against this industry and trying to make a change, and these moments are strong. Director Garrett Hubbard and writer Chris L. Jenkins paint quite the picture of these social issues, as their one-hour documentary also aims to educate people into understanding the bail system. Thereâs a stigma that if someone has bail, that means theyâre automatically guilty. The film shows thatâs not the case, and I came away with a greater understanding of the situation and how bail bonds work from watching this film.
As well, they take an unbiased approach at times, at least getting a voice from some people who work in the bail industry and are trying to make a living at it. They give their side to the story and aren’t villainized. Theyâre part of a huge industry, and the fact that is a billion-dollar industry is problematic. Itâs only like that in the U.S. and the Philippines, which is eye-opening. There are many other interesting facts in this documentary that Iâll let you learn for yourself. Through all the characters on display here and the faces matched to these issues, itâs an important and often entertaining watch.
Arpit Nayak interviews Chris L. Jenkins
The Movie Buff Staff Writer Arpit Nayak was able to speak with the filmâs writer and producer Chris L. Jenkins. In the interview, they talk about Chrisâ background, finding the subjects for the film, some of the challenges with the film and how they made it more timely despite filming in 2018 and incorporating the Black Lives Matter movement, and giving a better understanding of the bail bonds system. âTrapped: Cash Bail in Americaâ is now available to watch for free on YouTube, as a YouTube original. After watching or before watching, you can check out Arpitâs conversation with Chris directly above.
*Podcast music courtesy of bensound.com
