Thousands of people who stand accused—but not convicted—of any crime are shuttled to Rikers Island unnecessarily because of an antiquated and inefficient system.

Even when bail is set at $500 or less, about 84 percent of defendants charged with misdemeanors go to jail for at least a day because they are given sometimes less than an hour to pay and often don’t have access to basic items—like a wallet or cell phone—that would allow them to contact family or friends and pull resources together. The repercussions of even one day of unnecessary jail time can be devastating.

We must fix these wrongs.

Building on the momentum of the Criminal Justice Reform Act and our goal to close jails on Rikers Island, we are passing a series of bills that will allow families to support loved ones who have been detained, simplify information about bail, and make it easier to pay. Spending time in Rikers unnecessarily should not be the standard.