Special to the Rockford Register Star
SPRINGFIELD – By now, almost everyone in Illinois has heard that Jan. 1 will mark the beginning of a significant change in the state’s criminal justice system – the elimination of cash bail.
It’s an issue that dominated the 2022 campaigns and has been both praised and criticized on editorial pages in newspapers across the state. It essentially means that starting Jan. 1, the decision as to whether a criminal suspect should be held in jail while awaiting trial will be based on public safety and the likelihood the suspect will flee rather than their financial ability to post bond.
However, the elimination of cash bail may not be happening everywhere come Jan. 1 after a judge ruled Wednesday it was unconstitutional. 65 counties across the state, including the Rockford area, were part of the lawsuit meaning the judge's ruling may delay the elimination of cash bail in those counties. The other provisions of the SAFE-T Act, such as body cameras, training, etc., were upheld.
And while that criminal justice reform has received widespread attention, it is by no means the only new law that will take effect when the calendar turns over to 2023.
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