Illinois Supreme Court upholds end to cash bail; new system begins Sept. 18

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

47% : A provision of the criminal justice reform law known as the SAFE-T Act was supposed to eliminate the use of cash bail across the state on Jan. 1, but the state's highest court put that provision of the SAFE-T Act on hold after prosecutors and sheriffs in 64 counties filed lawsuits claiming the law was unconstitutional, and a Kankakee County judge ruled in their favor.
41% : "The Illinois Constitution of 1970 does not mandate that monetary bail is the only means to ensure criminal defendants appear for trials or the only means to protect the public.
40% : While the SAFE-T Act brings an end to cash bail in Illinois, Theis noted that judges still have the ability to decide whether criminal defendants should remain in custody ahead of trial.
37% : CBS 2 Legal Analyst Irv Miller said the change means criminal defendants will no longer have to pay a specific amount of money to be released from jail as they await trial.
31% : "While no person should be held in jail or let free because of their economic circumstances, the SAFE-T Act handcuffs law enforcement and judges making it more difficult for them to combat violent crime," Curran said in a statement.

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