Ben Peavey

Professor Clark

English 102

7 March 2024

A Rhetorical Break Down of Jails Extorting the Poor

“To protect our general safety, and ensure our rights as citizens against abuses by other people, by organizations, and by the government itself” (“What is a Law?”). This is the definition of law defined by the Judicial Learning Center, now it breaks down law by stating that the goal of law is to protect the rights of citizens against others. This definition seems quite straightforward on how the law is, but in fact, the law is more skewed and warped than it's alluded to. According to Salil Dudani’s informational page, Salil Dudani is an attorney at Civil Rights Corp. based in California. He deals with cases involving money bail and …show more content…
Raise your hand. So have I. And when I had to pay for it, it felt annoying and it felt bad, but I paid for it and I moved on. I'm guessing most of you have paid for your tickets as well. But what would happen if you couldn't afford the amount on the ticket and your family doesn't have the money either, what happens then?” (Dudani 3:08-3:42). By asking this question he is using the rhetorical device known as an anthypophora or a hypophora, which is the use of a question within writing or speech that has an intended answer directly after giving the question. One would use this to prove a point or give a relatable experience to the audience but answer it directly after, not giving the audience a chance to formulate their own different response. Dudani uses this rhetorical device in the form of a question about a parking ticket. He describes it as a dreadful experience, but you pay for the ticket and move on. But Dudani continues with this idea, as he describes what would happen if you can't afford to pay for the ticket. Dudani brings this idea into perspective as a true issue, as Dudani details “you're not supposed to be arrested and jailed simply because you can't afford to pay. That's illegal under federal law. But that's what local governments across the country are doing to people who are poor” (Dudani 3:42-4:01). This question brings the whole …show more content…
Dudani’s and others' work is radically changing the government’s regulations, with the state of Illinois being the first to officially abolish the cash bail system back in 2023, and hopefully paving a path out of the unjust bail system. But the only way through starts with the people “If we want that kind of change, then this shift in thinking is required of each of us” (Dudani 12:05-12:25).

Works Cited

Dudani, Salil. A. “How Jails Extort the Poor.” TED Talks, Apr. 2016, www.ted.com/talks/salil_ dudani_how_jails_extort_the_poor?referrer=playlist-truths_about_the_us_prison_system &autoplay=true. Accessed 3 Mar. 2024. The.

“Facts on Money Bail.” Civil Rights Corps, civilrightscorps.org/wp-content/uploads/ 2021/10/9i2UrGPoQJeM6uCmG5VZ.pdf. Download the PDF version here. Accessed 4 Mar. 2024. The.

Salil Dudani - Attorney. Civil Rights Corps, civilrightscorps.org/salil-dudani-attorney/. Accessed 4 Mar. 2024. The.

“What is a Law?” Judicial Learning Center, judiciallearningcenter.org/law-and-the-rule-of-law/#::text=aws%20are%20rules%20that%20bind,provide%20for%20our%20general%20safety. Accessed 5 Mar. 2024. The.

“What is cash bail?” The Bail Project, bailproject.org/bail/. Accessed 6 Mar. 2024.