Cash bail is over but the practice still continues to affect Black and Brown communities

After years of advocacy and fighting through the legislature and the courts, Illinois finally ended cash bond in September 2023. Now, people accused of crimes can no longer be held before trial simply because they don’t have access to a pile of cash. Instead, prosecutors and defense attorneys are meant to argue it out before judges, who decide whether someone must be held in jail. In the old system, Black and Latino men had to pay with bond amounts that were higher than white men. And their families often had to scrape together their savings to get family members out of jail.

Editor's note: Shannon Ross, a formerly/wrongfully incarcerated citizen was scheduled to appear on the show but had to cancel at the last minute. His picture and name was originally included this post but we amended it later.

GUESTS: 

Briana Payton

Associate director of policy and advocacy for Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts 

Madeleine Behr

Policy Director for Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation  (CAASE)