FOR IMMEDIATE RELASE
Feb. 22, 2021
Gov. Pritzker’s Approval of Historic Criminal Justice Reform Legislation Will End Cash Bail and Improve Public Safety
Governor praised for rejecting the scare tactics used by opponents
Sharone Mitchell Jr., Director of the Illinois Justice Project, issued the following statement in reaction to the enactment of HB 3653, the SAFE-T Act (Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity Today Act) signed on Monday by Gov. Pritzker:
This package of criminal justice reforms is nothing short of historic. Long debated and long necessary, the changes in policing, prosecution and incarceration will make the system more fair and our communities safer.
Many in law enforcement have acknowledged the need for improvements and have embraced change. Yet, some opponents used scare tactics in an attempt to derail the reforms. We commend Gov. Pritzker for rejecting their demagogic and false claims and urge everyone in the system to work together to implement these steps to make our communities safer.
We are especially grateful to the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, whose members fought so hard for these reforms, listened to all sides and refined the bill for months prior to passage by the General Assembly. Sen. Elgie Sims and Representatives Robert Peters and Justin Slaughter were tenacious in their pursuit of these reforms, especially the abolition of the requirement to pay cash to leave jail before trial.
The end of cash bond – one of the most important reforms – will put meaning into our criminal justice system’s ‘presumption of innocence.’ When effective in two years, judges will be able to detain anyone determined to be a threat to the community or unlikely to return for a court date, but no one else will be required to come up with cash to buy their release from jail prior to a trial.
The dozens of organizations and individuals making up the Coalition to End Money Bond are indicative of the large number of supporters, which includes two of the state’s leading prosecutors – Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and Lake County State’s Attorney Eric F. Rinehart.
By delaying the termination of the cash bail system until 2023, House Bill 3653 gives the state judicial system two years to prepare and improve its pre-trial detention system and provide the tools and training so that judges are able to assess safety risks of those awaiting trial.
The Illinois Justice Project’s website includes a summary of the reforms contained in HB 3653. The Illinois Justice Project, a non-profit, assists criminal justice reform efforts that promote policies that will make our communities safer and reduce recidivism among youths and adults.
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