Advocate Information

Help Abolish Cash Bail & Pretrial Detention

At every stage, the U.S. criminal punishment system is deeply racialized and extreme in its harshness, from policing to prosecution to sentencing, imprisonment, and reentry. The U.S. criminal punishment system works to keep a person imprisoned long after leaving confinement, be it through exorbitant legal financial obligations or by making a criminal record a barrier to housing or employment. While our juvenile court system is supposed to focus on rehabilitation, reduced punishment, and care for justice-involved youth, juvenile facilities frankly end up serving as “mini jails.” All of these consequences fall disproportionately on people of color.

The Northwest Community Bail Fund (NCBF) envisions a society where pretrial detention is abolished, incarcerated people are treated with dignity, and societal systems of accountability are reimagined to prioritize community care, rehabilitation, and true justice. Our 2025 legislative agenda calls for the end of harmful punitive systems, the promotion of alternatives to incarceration, and the restoration of civil rights for those impacted by the system.

Allow people to defend themselves from a position of freedom and help make strides toward equality and justice for all people.

The following legislation represents our ongoing commitment to ending pretrial detention, advancing abolition, and ensuring justice for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and LGBTQ+ communities disproportionately impacted by incarceration.

Learn More About the Legislative Process

  • The Washington State Legislature is made up of two houses (or chambers), the Senate and the House of Representatives. Washington has 49 legislative districts, each of which elects a Senator and two Representatives. Senators serve four-year terms and Representatives serve two-year terms. The Senate and House of Representatives meet in session each year to create new laws, change existing laws, and enact budgets for the State. 

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    Animated Pptx - How Bill Becomes a Law

  • Civic engagement through legislative testimony challenges harmful punitive systems. When you speak at hearings or sign in to support or oppose bills your voice amplifies community-centered solutions prioritizing care and rehabilitation while addressing disparities affecting marginalized communities. Your voice is especially crucial for advancing legislation that addresses disparities affecting Black, Indigenous,, LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities, helping dismantle structures that criminalize poverty to ____________________. Through legislative engagement, you help build pathways toward a more just society that values collective liberation over criminalization.

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  • view/download as PDF