Report: Illinois crime rates have declined following cash bail ban

ILLINOIS (WTVO) — According to a new report, crime rates across Illinois have declined in the year following the implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act.

According to the report from Loyola University’s Center for Criminal Justice, both violent and property crime rates have dropped. The report compared crime statistics from the six months prior and six months following the enactment of the law.

Researcher David Olson said there was a 12% drop in violent and property crime, and the failure-to-appear rate for court proceedings dropped slightly from 17% to 15%.

The Pretrial Fairness Act, part of the Safety, Accountability, Fairness, and Equity-Today Act (SAFE-T Act), was introduced by the Illinois Black Caucus as part of a response to the murder of George Floyd.

The law, abolishing cash bail, went into effect in September 2023.

Following the law’s implementation, jail populations have decreased by 14% in Cook County, 14% in other urban counties, and 25% in rural counties, according to the report.

“I think there are still people who think there’s some individuals that can’t be detained, that they would like to see detained,” Olson said, “but for the most part, the law is being followed, and we’re seeing a reduction in jail populations.”

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