We explore how important monetary bail is as a source of restitution for victims of crime and whether the elimination of monetary bail will have the unintended consequence of reducing compensation for victims.

Will Eliminating Monetary Bail Deprive Crime Victims of Compensation?

Illinois Practitioners on Pretrial Detention and its Uses

A Little Bit of Time in Jail

Some Insights from Illinois Practitioner Interviews

Why Hold On to Cash Bail?

Individuals Held in Pretrial Detention and Under Pretrial Supervision in the Community

Cash Bail Detains People Charged with Serious Offenses—But for How Long?

Under the current cash bail system, most people - even people charged with serious crimes - do not await trial in jail.

How Much Pretrial Detention Does Cash Bail “Buy”?

Tracking the Illinois Jail Population after the PFA implementation.

Illinois Jail Population Tracker

We compared jail booking and average daily jail population data for the periods immediately before and after the effective date of the Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act, and found that both bookings and average populations had declined beyond what would have been expected due to normal seasonal fluctuations.

The Short-Term Impact of the Pretrial Fairness Act on Jail Bookings & Populations

A data tool that tracks the daily Cook County Jail and Community Corrections population.

Tracking the Cook County Jail and Community Corrections Population

Limited data in the first month of implementation suggest that the PFA may be reducing jail usage, but the impact varies from county to county.

What Effect is the PFA having on Pretrial Jail Usage?

A little over a month after the Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act went into effect, we summarize some preliminary observations on the rollout of the new law.

Doing Without Cash Bail in Illinois: The PFA’s First Month

Examining the number and percent of individuals receiving individual-recognizance bonds (I-Bonds), cash or deposit bonds (C/D-Bonds), and No Bail for offenses that will be detainable or non-detainable under the PFA.

Estimating the Impact of the Pretrial Fairness Act: Bond Decisions in Lake County

A detailed analyses of 1,836 new cases that went through bond court in Lake County, Illinois, from March 1 to December 31, 2021.

Examining Bond Court Outcomes & Pretrial Release in Lake County, Illinois

Observations in Cook, Lake, Winnebago, and McLean Counties

Estimating the Impact of the Pretrial Fairness Act: Bond Court Hearings in Cook, Lake, Winnebago, and McLean Counties

Bond Decisions in Cook County

The Volume & Characteristics of Arrests Eligible for Detention

All Posts

Will Eliminating Monetary Bail Deprive Crime Victims of Compensation?

A Little Bit of Time in Jail

Why Hold On to Cash Bail?

Cash Bail Detains People Charged with Serious Offenses—But for How Long?

How Much Pretrial Detention Does Cash Bail “Buy”?