Nearly half a million people in the US are in jail right now without being convicted of a crime, simply because they can't come up with the money to pay cash bail. To try and fix this system, public defender and activist Robin Steinberg asked a straightforward question: What if we paid bail for them? In conversation with TED Radio Hour host Manoush Zomorodi, Steinberg shares how her nonprofit The Bail Project -- which uses a revolving fund to post bail for those who can't afford it -- is scaling up their efforts across the country and rolling out a new community-based model to fight mass incarceration. (This ambitious plan is part of the Audacious Project, TED's initiative to inspire and fund global change.)

Robin Steinberg and Manoush Zomorodi: The US is addicted to incarceration. Here's how to break the cycle

The US is addicted to incarceration. Here's how to break the cycle

Journalist, podcaster, media entrepreneur

Being jailed pretrial due to inability to pay bail can drastically alter life's trajectory, affecting jobs, homes, and families.

The Bail Project uses a revolving fund to post bail for those in need, aiming to disrupt the bail system and reduce mass incarceration.

Challenging fear narratives is essential for criminal justice reform, recognizing that post-release, negative outcomes are rare exceptions.