Cash bond reforms will make Illinois more fair

A view of Cook County Jail. The Pretrial Fairness Act prioritizes safety and addresses some of the injustices that exist in our current pretrial system, a state representative writes. (Getty)

Illinois’ money bond system prioritizes access to wealth over public safety. In a matter of minutes, a judge makes the decision to jail or release a person pretrial and the primary factor determining who is released pretrial is not safety but whether or not they can afford their freedom.

I saw this first-hand when I attended bond court hearings a few weeks ago along with community advocates and other elected officials.