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* The Federalist is still spouting 2022 talking points…
Illinois Cooks Up Cashless Bail And Discovers It’s A ‘Perfect Recipe For Lawlessness’
The story is ridden with errors…
Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez, a rare Democrat speaking out against the end of cash bail in the Land of Lincoln, told Fox News’ “America Reports” in October that innocent people are being “hunted down like prey.”
“[T]hings like robbery, burglary, arson, assault, even threatening elected officials like myself, do not warrant you being held on bond anymore in the state of Illinois, and criminals are taking note,” Lopez told the cable news outlet.
Um, all but one of those crimes are detainable offenses, including threatening elected officials. Assault, defined as “conduct which places another in reasonable apprehension of receiving a battery,” has long been a Class C misdemeanor, but past “assaultive behavior” is a factor judges can use to detain someone.
And then the article talks about somebody who was arrested and is still being detained by the feds on “14 federal felony counts of interstate communication of a threat to injure.”
The article goes on to note that the same person had been arrested by the Perry County sheriff’s office and released after two days behind bars. The sheriff blames the SAFE-T Act, but the person was released on a charge of resisting arrest, and the important underlying charge related to the threats was “dropped due to a lack of a specific target.”
Sure sounds like the local sheriff messed up and blamed state law.
* Meanwhile, in reality…
In Sangamon County, the average daily number of people in custody at the jail was 323 before the Pretrial Fairness Act took effect and has ranged between 220 and 240 since then, according to Sheriff Jack Campbell. It’s obvious the new law is the reason for the drop, he said.
The reduction has meant less crowding in the facility, less stress among inmates and higher morale among the jail staff, Campbell said. […]
It is “too early to tell” the long-term impact, [Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser] said, but he collected statistics that show Sangamon County judges are agreeing with prosecutors almost 70% of the time when the State’s Attorney’s Office has requested detention. There have been 99 petitions for detainment so far, and 69 were granted, he told Illinois Times Dec. 13.
The rate is similar to numbers released Dec. 11 by the state administrative court office, which is overseen by the Supreme Court. For 71 of the state’s 102 counties – a number that doesn’t include Sangamon and mostly consists of smaller counties – judges had issued decisions on 1,445 petitions for detention. Of those, 976 (67.55%) petitions were granted, and 469 were denied. Another 51 petitions were waiting to be heard
* And in southern Illinois…
[Jackson County State’s Attorney Joseph Cervantez] said if someone violates their pretrial release conditions, they can face sanctions. If a defendant continues to violate them, prosecutors can petition to revoke bail.
Cervantez also said that since the start of the SAFE-T Act, he has not seen crime increase in Jackson County.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 10:35 am
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2008 called and it wants its catchphrase back. Apart from that, not a bad post. I’ll be curious to see the long-term effects of this law and if it’s picked up by other states.
Comment by Former ILSIP Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 10:49 am
That’s not what my favorite right-leaning news sources are saying! They don’t need any numbers or confusing statistics to prove it, either - just a fist shaking at the sky while ranting about Chicago or something.
Too early to tell, but is it possible this could end up being - gasp - a good thing?
Comment by TheUpperRoom Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 10:52 am
Notice that Trial Court Decisions have been generating a number of Appeals. Probably taper off
in time.
Comment by Red Ketcher Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 11:10 am
I always find party labeling interesting. If Ray Lopez ran for the same office in Miami, Staten Island, or anywhere in Orange County he would have an (R) after his name and change zero of his positions on anything. But because he is in Chicago he has a (D), and that lets right wingers point at him and say “Look, even a Dem thinks XYZ…”
Comment by Homebody Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 11:10 am
“Look, even a Dem thinks XYZ…”
Jim Glasgow has entered the chat.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 11:19 am
Cashless bail is one of the least objectionable parts of the legislation. There are a number of minor changes to sentencing credits, electronic monitoring, home detention, and definitions of crime that when combined will have much more of an impact on prison and jail populations.
Comment by Chicagonk Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 11:43 am
==innocent people are being “hunted down like prey.” ==
Any update on when ‘The Purge’ will be taking place in Chicago? It keeps getting rescheduled./S
Comment by Jocko Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 12:41 pm
These Alderman Lopez statements about our ending can bail are not “opinion.”
They are clearly false statements, and he should know better — but he doesn’t care enough to keep up with what’s actually going on.
When he tells the truth, we will listen.
Comment by walker Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 12:46 pm
The ‘verdict’ is still out on cashless bail. A thorough study should begin early this next year as to its positive and/or negative effects.
Bail should not be used as a revenue generator for the judicial system. But people have the right to be protected against criminals.
How all of this plays out is the great question and it is a question that deserves serious and honest study.
Comment by unafraid Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 1:16 pm
Ever since this law was passed people who obviously did not read the act have made some wild (and wrong) interpretations of it. And then they pass it along as fact. UGH!
Comment by levivotedforjudy Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 1:18 pm
Democrats are a lot better at branding than policy making
How many Illinois residents feel safer after the passage of the Safe T act?
Provably the same number that believe the inflation reduction act reduced inflation
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 1:22 pm
==The ‘verdict’ is still out on cashless bail==
We were all told that the world as we knew it would end on the day this law took effect and that the jails would all empty out and that no criminal would be able to be detained. All of that has turned out to be false. So we don’t need to wait for any verdict as far as the hysteria goes. It didn’t happen. That verdict is in. If you can’t recognize that then you are just being dishonest.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 1:34 pm
===Democrats are a lot better at branding than policy making===
While your examples don’t prove that they’re great at policymaking, they do for sure prove they’re truly awful at branding.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 1:59 pm
Interesting how Campbell has changed his tune since the Act took effect.
Comment by jimbo26 Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 2:06 pm
= Interesting how Campbell has changed his tune since the Act took effect. =
At least he’s willing to be honest about the law’s impact. That’s preferably to folks who continue to stomp their feet and throw tantrums.
Comment by JoanP Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 3:00 pm
“How many Illinois residents feel safer after the passage of the Safe T act?”
That’s not a valid question to evaluate the effectiveness of the act. Many people may “feel” or believe they are less safe because of misinformation. While many people may actually be safer because dangerous people can’t bond out with cash bail, especially when it comes to domestic violence victims.
Comment by Steve Polite Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 3:46 pm
==That’s not a valid question to evaluate the effectiveness of the act.==
That’s what conservatives do. Scare low-information voters on Facebook and Fox News. And rather than be ashamed, they are proud that they have made unhappy people unhappier.
Comment by Big Dipper Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 6:14 pm
Loyola University is doing a long-term comprehensive evaluation of the PFA. Follow their work here https://loyolaccj.org/pfa
Comment by Ramblerfan Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 7:04 pm
===How many Illinois residents feel safer after the passage of the Safe T act?===
Moi, not because of the Safe T Act. Rather, the COVID caused total lack of traffic enforcement. Red light runners everywhere, here in Springfield, southbound 11th at Jefferson is horrible.
Comment by Anyone Remember Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 7:07 pm