Detroit bail bondsman creates program to help people navigate justice system

Program picked up in several schools

DETROIT – Krystal Banks has been a bails bondsman for more than 20 years.

“If you want to end the school to prison pipeline, you have to educate,” Banks said.

Her business isn’t about profiting off of people who’ve been arrested, but educating them on the judicial system so they can navigate it successfully.

“My heart hurts when I put these people in a jail and they don’t know where to go, they don’t know what lawyers to hire, they don’t know anything about the system,” Banks said. “So, what happened?”

Banks created a program called Sticky Situations, a program to educate others on how the judicial system deals with financial literacy, behavioral issues, racism and more.

“You’re brilliant enough to figure out a scheme on credit card fraud, but you don’t know how to own a credit card,” Banks said. “So in this program, we teach you how to make it a legitimate business.”

Banks said several schools have picked up the program and is hoping others will follow suit.

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About the Author

Priya joined WDIV-Local 4 in 2013 as a reporter and fill-in anchor. Education: B.A. in Communications/Post Grad in Advanced Journalism

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