Posts Mislead on Illinois SAFE-T Act and Elimination of Cash Bail
Criminal Justice,Bail Reform,Illinois,Facts And Fact Checking
Illinois’ new criminal justice law, known as the SAFE-T Act, would eliminate cash bail but allow a judge to detain anyone who is deemed a danger to others or a flight risk. Social media posts misleadingly claim that anyone arrested for serious crimes, including second-degree murder, “will be let out free.”
The Illinois Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equality-Today Act — better known as the SAFE-T Act — was signed into law by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker in 2021.
On Jan. 1, parts of the law, which addresses a range of criminal justice issues, went into effect. Several new requirements are being implemented, including that police officers provide aid after using force, all police wear body cameras by 2025, and confidential mental health screening and counseling be provided for officers.
But one part of the law, known as the Pretrial Fairness Act, is under scrutiny, and critics say it will make Illinois unsafe.
The Pretrial Fairness Act eliminates cash bail for all offenses and allows individuals stopped under the suspicion of committing traffic, quasi-criminal or misdemeanor offenses to go free before a trial, with the stipulation that they will return to the court for their hearing.
