Press Release

Reflections on the First Month: Cook County State's Attorney's Office on the Historic Pretrial Fairness Act

CHICAGO - One month into the implementation of the groundbreaking Pretrial Fairness Act (PFA), the Cook County State's Attorney's Office (CCSAO) takes a moment to reflect on the progress and challenges of this transformative legislation. As the pioneering state to eliminate cash bail for pretrial release, Illinois is leading the charge in championing a more just and equitable criminal justice system. 

Key Updates from the First Month: 

  • A total of 649 detention hearings were requested, with detention being granted in 60% of the cases.
  • Only in two cases was the detention request withdrawn.
  • Domestic battery cases emerged prominently, with 216 detention hearings requested. Given that domestic battery is often classified as a misdemeanor, its detention grant rate stood at only 39%. 
  • Unlawful Use of a Weapon followed, with 105 detention hearings requested and a 64% grant rate. 
  • Cases involving Murder, Vehicular Hijacking, and Attempted Murder boasted the highest rates of detention requests granted at 93%, 94%, and 89% respectively. 

Impact on Jail Populations: 

  • There has been a notable 12% reduction in the overall jail population, dwindling from 5,531 a year ago to the current 4,846. 
  • The count of those accused of non-violent crimes has reduced by 21%, shifting from 2,029 to 1,610. 

These dwindling jail population figures, especially concerning non-violent crime, underscore the PFA's targeted positive effects. The act aims to reduce people in jail for non-violent crimes by ensuring financial disparities do not dictate one's ability to return to their life while awaiting trial. 

"In this new era of justice reform, our objective remains clear: to ensure a system where detention is determined by risk assessments and not by one's wallet," remarked State's Attorney Kim Foxx. "These initial outcomes reinforce our commitment to equity and to keeping communities safe. We remain vigilant, continually refining our responsibility to serving the people of Cook County better." 

For additional insights and an exhaustive FAQ section on the Pretrial Fairness Act in Illinois, click here. 

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) is the nation’s second-largest prosecutor’s office and is led by Cook County’s first Black woman State’s Attorney, Kim Foxx. Foxx brings her vision to this office to fairly administer justice in the pursuit of thriving, healthy, and safe communities for every person who steps foot in Cook County, no matter their race, income, or zip code. Foxx has been recognized as one of the most progressive prosecutors through her forward-thinking, innovative strategies to intercept the cycles of violence and crime and bringing change to a criminal justice system rooted in systemic racism. Follow @SAKimFoxx on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook and @CookCountySAO on Twitter and Facebook.