The Faith Coalition for the Common Good and Illinois’ Network for Pre-trial Justice are seeking an end to money bail in the state.

Steven Schnebly, a professor of criminal justice and sociology at UIS, was a panelist on a webinar Thursday night.

“By definition the use of money bail is disadvantageous in that it uses a legally irrelevant factor—how much wealth someone has—as a basis for making important decisions,” Schnebly said. “The poor are disadvantaged by money bail.”

Illinois jails a quarter-million people annually, some of whom who can’t afford to make bail and choose to plead guilty to charges rather than remain behind bars awaiting trial.