They point to studies that show when reliance on cash bail was reduced in Cook County, there was no statistical effect on crime. That coalition includes victim rights groups like the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. A police group argues the opposite.Ī coalition of 426 organizations and individuals filed a document with the Illinois Supreme Court arguing that the elimination of cash bail will make communities safer. Victim rights groups and criminal justice advocates say eliminating cash bail will make communities safer. They argue “bail” can be non-monetary and include other conditions that would make sure a person returns to court, for example, electronic monitoring. In court filings they argue the language in the constitution simply means defendants have the right to freedom while they await their trial. So lawmakers can’t get rid of monetary bail without going through the difficult and cumbersome process of changing the constitution first.īut defenders of the SAFE-T Act say that definition of bail is wrong.

The state’s attorneys who are trying to overturn portions of the Safe-T act argue that when the constitution says people “shall be bailable by sufficient sureties”- that includes cash bail. The Illinois constitution promises the right to bail to everyone, except people charged with certain offenses.

A key question for justices is what the word “bail” actually means. Here are five things to know before oral arguments in front of the Illinois Supreme Court on March 14.

After a lower court judge ruled in their favor, it was placed on hold until the Illinois Supreme Court could make a final decision. But prosecutors across the state filed lawsuits challenging the law’s constitutionality.

Supreme court photo