In July, the State Supreme Court issued a ruling affirming the constitutionality of the SAFE-T Act, a significant piece of criminal justice reform law.

Illinois will implement a groundbreaking criminal justice reform law, eliminating cash bail starting next Monday. (Photo: Google)

Illinois is poised to enact a groundbreaking criminal justice reform law, rendering cash bail obsolete starting Monday.

According to an article published by Fox 32 Chicago, Illinois is set to significantly change its criminal justice reform law, with cash bail becoming obsolete starting Monday. The state Supreme Court’s ruling in July upheld the SAFE-T Act, a major criminal justice reform law, stating it doesn’t violate the state’s constitution.

Illinois becomes the only state in the nation to eliminate the need to post money to secure release from jail. Governor JB Pritzker praised this move as a crucial step toward a fairer Illinois. Democratic state lawmaker Kam Buckner emphasized that the criminal justice reform law, specifically the cashless bail provision, represents a shift towards a more just system based on actions rather than wealth.

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In 2022, Illinois passed the controversial SAFE-T Act, despite legal challenges.

According to an article published by the Daily Telegraph, this criminal justice reform law abolished the cash bail system, which allowed those who could afford it to buy their way out of jail. Advocates argued that the criminal justice reform law, and cash bail disproportionately affected minorities and low-income individuals, often leading to unnecessary incarceration for minor offenses.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, highlighting that it ensures a person’s ability to pay cash bail no longer unfairly influences their presumption of innocence in the criminal justice reform law.

He emphasized that cash bail doesn’t enhance community safety and has worsened existing disparities in the criminal justice reform law, particularly for marginalized communities affected by mass incarceration. Johnson expressed gratitude for the opportunity to implement this criminal justice reform law to promote justice and equity.

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