Illinois Abolishes Cash Bail, Allows Murder, Kidnapping, Arson Suspects to be Immediately Released
The Illinois SAFE-T Act (Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act) abolishes the cash bail system, effective on Jan. 1, 2023. Once active, the law will release suspects charged with crimes ranging from second-degree murder, to arson, to kidnapping, without bail.
“[the SAFE-T Act] includes 12 non-detainable offenses, second-degree murder, aggravated battery, and arson without bail, as well as drug-induced homicide, kidnapping, burglary, robbery, intimidation, aggravated DUI, aggravated fleeing and eluding, drug offenses and threatening a public official.”
CBN News
“Non-detainable offenses” meaning that suspects charged with any of the aforementioned crimes would be released without bail. Suspects charged with domestic violence will be released after 24-48 hours if the prosecutor cannot provide enough proof to allege that they will harm one of more people once released. The cash bail system will supposedly be replaced with a structure to classify suspects based on their immediate risk to the community, however this concept has been tried previously in states like New York, with bleak outcomes.
The Illinois Governor has called the legislation, “criminal justice legislation is a substantial step toward dismantling systemic racism by bringing us closer to true safety, true fairness and true justice.” Critics however, such as Will County District Attorney Jim Glasgow said the law will “destroy the state of Illinois.”
Criminals have been emboldened by soft-on-crime policies for years now, laws that incentivize crime by weakening punishment. This creates absolute reckless chaos in communities like we have seen in California, New York City, Memphis, and even in Canada, where similar policies have all caused skyrocketing crime rates.
“In Winnebago County, Illinois, alone the district attorney estimates that about 400 charged criminals will be freed from jail despite their being accused of violent crimes. Likewise, in Will County, Illinois, about 640 charged criminals will be freed from jail, including 60 accused of murder.“
Breitbart
This is not about race, economic status, or any other social identifier, this is simply about keeping communities safe and free of violent offenders. There is no acceptable reason to let suspects charged with murder back onto the streets, the practice of catch and release criminal justice is a slap in the face to law abiding citizens, who will now be tormented by career criminals without end.
