Illinois Democrat Gov. Jay Robert Pritzker has signed a bill that removes bail for pending delinquent offenders. “This law will take our state out of the pre-trial system, which prioritizes wealth, and into the system, which prioritizes the safety of society,” the governor said.
Bail has long been criticized for keeping a disproportionate number of racial, ethnic minorities and low-income people behind bars even before they are convicted of a crime, while well-funded offenders can go to prison. freedom pending trial. The law will fully enter into force in 2023, but the judge has the right to keep the offender in custody pending trial if he poses a danger to society.
The law also provides for the introduction by 2025 of the mandatory wearing of security cameras by police officers, abolishes the temporary termination of a driver’s license for non-payment of fines for certain traffic violations, gives arrested persons the right to make three phone calls instead of one, and contains a number of other legal measures.
Newspaper headline:
Free without bail