Illinois' Pretrial Fairness Act, which abolishes cash bail as a condition of pretrial release, will take effect Sept. 18, making Illinois the first state to end cash bail and a testing ground for whether — and how — it works on a large scale.
Critics say cash bail policies are especially unfair to Black people and other people of color.
In 2017, New Jersey essentially replaced its cash bail system with a risk assessment process that gauged the potential danger a released defendant could pose to the community.
But cash bail is still allowed in some instances in that state and others that have curtailed the practice, such as New York and Alaska.
California has made several efforts to reform its cash bail system, but lawmakers balked at sweeping reform.
Persons:
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Organizations:
CHICAGO, Associated Press, Illinois, Commission, Civil, Illinois Sheriffs ’ Association, Police, Scout, Chicago Community Bond Fund, America Statehouse News Initiative, America
Locations:
Chicago, Illinois, Cook, United States, New Jersey, New York, Alaska . California, DuPage County