Impact of Cash Bail Abolition in Illinois
One year after Illinois abolished cash bail, crime rates have not increased, and court processes have changed significantly, with longer hearings and a decrease in jail populations.
| Score | Value |
|---|---|
Scale | 7 |
Novelty | 6 |
Positivity | 6 |
Reliability | 6 |
Actionability | 3 |
Society | 8 |
Journalism | 5 |
Highlights
- Illinois outlawed cash bail one year ago.
- Violent crime and property crime in Illinois have decreased since the abolition of cash bail.
- The average length of court hearings in Cook County increased from 4 minutes to 16 minutes after the law was implemented.
- The failure to appear rate for defendants has remained largely unchanged at 15% after the law went into effect.
- The population of the Cook County Jail has decreased by about 14% since the law was enacted.
Perspectives
- Some critics express frustration over non-detainable offenses, particularly in rural areas where violent crime is less prevalent, indicating a need for further review of the system's effectiveness.
- Prosecutors believe the abolition of cash bail has allowed for more thorough case reviews, leading to better assessments of whether detention is necessary.