News Story
Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act Resources
Resources related to the Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act
The Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act
On September 18, 2023, the Pretrial Fairness Act (PFA) took effect in Illinois, the first state in the country to completely eliminate the use of money bonds. Illinois replaced its outmoded system with one in which judges make intentional “in or out” decisions about pretrial release and detention and individualized determinations about conditions of release.
The PFA has fundamentally reshaped the system of pretrial justice in Illinois. In addition to abolishing the use of money bonds, the new law statutorily presumes that people will be released pretrial, designates a list of offenses eligible for pretrial detention, requires that the prosecutor request a detention hearing (otherwise, the person will be released with conditions), sets forth due process safeguards for all pretrial hearings (including having defense counsel at first appearance), sets forth the situations in which pretrial release may be revoked, and allows for the immediate appeal of all pretrial decisions. In addition, parallel to the passage of the PFA, Illinois invested in pretrial services and created the Office of Statewide Pretrial Services in 2021 to ensure that such services were provided in every county in the state.
The resources below explain the PFA, share implementation resources and updates, data and research, court rules and opinions, and news stories.
About the PFA
Illinois Supreme Court Pretrial Implementation Task Force
Resources include an Implementation Toolkit, Flowcharts and Implementation Considerations, Sample Orders, and recordings of monthly Town Hall meetings on implementation.
PFA Education Seminars (PDF)
Slides from regional education seminars for pretrial system practitioners.
Pretrial Fairness
A website managed by the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice with information about the PFA, short videos, and recent news articles.
Coalition to End Money Bond
Videos, written resources, and advocacy materials to promote the PFA and new legislation aimed at ensuring its success.
Pretrial Fairness Act Explainer
A two-page handout published by the think tank R Street.
Implementation Progress
Pretrial Fairness Act: Lessons from the Field
For pretrial practitioners in Illinois, a recorded moderated virtual discussion with Illinois practitioners six months after implementation.
Pretrial Reform in Illinois: Lessons Learned
For pretrial practitioners outside Illinois, a recorded moderated virtual discussion addresses learnings for other states and localities interested in making similar changes.
Pretrial Practitioners Discuss the Pretrial Fairness Act
A series of interviews about implementation and early experiences under the PFA.
“More Free, More Fair, More Safe”
A story about how pretrial detention hearings support better-informed decisions and procedural fairness.
Data Dashboards
Tracking the Pretrial Fairness Act in Illinois
Research briefs and data tools from Loyola Chicago Center for Criminal Justice, which is tracking how the PFA impacts court outcomes, pretrial outcomes, and jail populations across Illinois.
Illinois Office of Statewide Pretrial Services Data Dashboard
Pretrial data from counties served by OSPS.
County Data Dashboards
Public-facing data dashboards and relevant PFA data from Illinois counties.
Court Rules and Opinions
Pretrial Fairness Act News Stories
After 9 months of data, state data begins to detail new pretrial detention system
NPR Illinois, June 28, 2024
Illinois Judge: State has ‘successfully turned the Titanic’ with cash bail reform
WBBM Newsradio, May 22, 2024
The Pretrial Fairness Act: Why It Is Needed and How It Will Improve Pretrial Safety and Justice in Illinois
The Center for American Progress, May 9, 2024
End of cash bail in Illinois showing early signs of success in reaching ‘better and fairer system
Chicago Sun-Times, May 8, 2024
Experts analyzing ramifications behind cash bail abolishment in Illinois
KSDK-TV, May 7, 2024
Has the Move to Cashless Bond Impacted Safety?
WGN, February 13, 2024
Pretrial Fairness Act is shifting the scales of justice for Illinois
Chicago Sun-Times, Nov 19, 2023