Posted on September 9, 2022

Illinois Set to Eliminate Cash Bail in 2023

Collin Baillie, KFVS, September 7, 2022

Come January 1, 2023, the State of Illinois is set to eliminate the cash bail system.

However, southern Illinois lawmakers and law enforcement say it could make communities more dangerous.

“I believe the elimination of cash bail, particularly as it’s written in the SAFE-T Act, will reduce public safety and lead to more crime particularly more violent crime in Illinois,” Patrick Windhorst, former state’s attorney and current state representative for district 118, said.

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“Anyone sitting in jail right now with all these pending charges, they’re going to be let out,” Johnson County Sheriff Peter Sopczak said. {snip}

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{snip} Only suspects involved in specific deadly threats could be held.

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Representative Windhorst listed some of the offenses that won’t involve detention before going to trial.

“So there are a whole list of violent crimes, burglary, robbery, arson, kidnapping, almost all drug offenses even drug distribution, DUI offenses, even DUI offenses that are involving a fatality, that do not qualify for detention under the Illinois Safety Act. To me, that’s going to mean a lot of individuals are committing crimes and being released immediately, if not within a couple of days,” he said.

Illinois is the first state in the country to abolish cash bail.