Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

Major Courtroom Victory Against “Wealth-Based Human Caging”
10 May 2017
🖨️ Print Article

In a sweeping order, a judge has ruled that the bail system in Harris County, Texas, including the city of Houston, is unconstitutional. Because of the decision, “we are on the road to eradicating the notion of wealth-base human caging,” said Alec Karakatsanis, executive director of the Washington-based Civil Rights Corps. The ruling affects defendants charged with low level offenses. “On any given night in this country there are about 450,000 human beings who are sitting in a cage because they can’t come up with a particular amount of money that’s been required for their release,” said Karakatsanis.


More Stories


  • Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    Truth, Lies and an Assassination Attempt
    29 Apr 2026
    The impetus to question official narratives is quite logical, given the U.S. history of promoting war propaganda and other lies.
  • Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    ESSAY: José Martí Today, Jesús Colón, 1961
    29 Apr 2026
    “Fidel Castro, the heir of José Martí is certainly throwing all colonial concepts and attitudes in history’s ash can.”
  • Ann Garrison, BAR Contributing Editor
    US Seeks to Turn Eritrea Into “a Bulwark Against Iranian Influence”
    29 Apr 2026
    As the militarization of the Red Sea escalates, the US tries to enlist Eritrea in exchange for sanctions relief.
  • Anthony Karefa Rogers-Wright
    Documents of Disaster and Conferences of Calamity: Rhetorical Questions, Questions of Rhetoric and the Transition  from Fossil Fuels
    29 Apr 2026
    The First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels produced a People's Declaration. There have been many such statements over the years, yet the climate crisis continues unabated.
  • Mark P. Fancher
    Political Snobbery Delays Black Liberation
    29 Apr 2026
    The conditions are ripe for growing Black political consciousness, but revolutionary movements must broaden their reach to all sectors and classes of the people.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us