The elimination of cash bail took effect Monday in Illinois, which came after after extensive delays and legal challenges. Some prosecutors and law enforcement leaders believe it will place more criminals back on the streets. State Representative Tony McCombie was one of those leaders who could not praise the historic change in the state’s criminal justice system.
Before Monday, a judge was able to set bail as a means of ensuring a defendant would show up for court hearings. But now, there is fear that crime will increase without cash bail.
In a recent news article, Rep. McCombie emphasized her caution in this change:
“The end of cash bail means the legal deck is stacked against the victim and community in favor of the criminal. This law makes it more difficult for police officers and prosecutors to keep our communities safe by ensuring offenders in most cases can walk free shortly after committing a heinous offense. Ending cash bail has produced harmful results in other cities and states, and we have no reason to believe Illinois will be any different. We can only hope that innocent victims’ lives are not the ultimate price we have to pay.”