Town hall meeting on Pretrial Fairness Act Implementation this week

DeKALB – The Illinois Supreme Court Pretrial Implementation Task Force will host its third Zoom based town hall meeting on Friday at 4 p.m., this time focusing on evidence-based pretrial assessments.

The Pretrial Fairness Act, which was passed as part of Public Act 101-652, will eliminate cash bail in pretrail release decisions and create new processes for pretrial and detention decisions beginning Jan. 1 2023.

“Town hall meetings update stakeholders and the community on the work of the Task Force as it prepares for the changes coming when the PFA goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2023, and provides the opportunity to answer questions regarding the PFA,” a news release sent by Sanchon Corbin, the Admin Assistant to Director of Communications for the Illinois Supreme Court, said.

The Illinois Supreme Court Pretrial Implementation Task Force was established in 2020 by the Illinois Supreme Court to help institute the recommendations of the final report by the Supreme Court Commission on Pretrial Practices. Among the recommended changes set forth by the commission is an effort to help individuals with mental, behavioral, and substance abuse disorders.

“Encourage all involved in the criminal justice system to divert individuals with mental and behavioral health issues and substance abuse disorders to alternative support, medical, or clinical services prior to entry into the criminal justice system,” the final report from the Supreme Court Commission on Pretrial Practices said.

The final report from the commission also recommended excluding some individuals from pre-arraignment releases based on the type of crime committed. The defendants that are released will be given written notification of their scheduled court date – which will be within a 21 day period – as well as the conditions of their release, and a subsequent court reminder notification.

“Pre-arraignment releases shall exclude weapons-related and sex offenses, as defined by the Illinois Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 (725 ILCS 5/100-1 et seq.),” the final report said.

The town hall meeting by the the Illinois Supreme Court Pretrial Implementation Task Force on Friday will go over the evidence-based pretrial assessment process. A fourth Zoom based town hall meeting will take place on Sept. 29, focusing on practical guidance for Pretrial Fairness Act implementation.

More town hall meetings on the matter will follow over the next couple of months on Oct. 20 and Nov. 17.