Attention centrists: You have a reading assignment.
Thursday’s papers included an excellent piece stemming from interviews with state’s attorneys and sheriffs from seven counties addressing perceived flaws in Illinois’ current pretrial detention system.
Five Shaw reporters and editors covering Bureau, DeKalb, Kane, La Salle, Lee, Whiteside and Will counties explored a wide range of opinions to land on the consensus of six offenses the pool wants added to the list of accusations enabling a judge to order someone held without bail (tinyurl.com/Pretrial6).
It’s a refreshing change of pace from the typical conversation, which in the years leading up to the change tended to feature open lies about the end of cash bail (such as suggesting every criminal suspect would be entitled to immediate release) or remaining oddly silent whenever someone accused of a violent crime paid their way out of county lockup.
Balanced against the iron wills of reformers who sternly maintain the law was perfect as written and implemented, it can be hard to find ideological room in the middle, where it’s understood a charge is not a conviction and perhaps society is better served at large by treating everyone fairly regardless of their ability to access cash quickly.
The six consensus offenses are aggravated battery, aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a firearm, driving under the influence, burglary and aggravated battery to a police officer. Other suggestions included giving judges broader discretion to issue stronger consequences for violating release terms or coming under new criminal suspicion.
Without rehashing the entire piece, it’s sufficient to say the selection of individual quotes and statements helpfully conveys the spectrum of opinions on the matter. No state’s attorney’s office has the same caseload, which, in combination with a variety of political persuasions, provides an opportunity to not only encounter a range of talking points but also to consider what circumstances might inform those positions.
One unexplored factor is how the comments generally operate from a framework of current criminal code. For example, aggravated battery offenses aren’t detainable unless great bodily harm is alleged. Is it surprising to learn “battery” can be “aggravated” absent “great bodily harm”? Is there broad agreement on when a victim’s profession automatically enhances a charge? Revisiting what accusations trigger which potential penalties might also reshape prosecutorial and/or judicial discretion.
Difficulties balancing fairness to the accused and safety for everyone else brought the debate to its present condition. The further we’re removed from our cash bail past, the easier it is to see clearly what reformers insisted: communities were not made safer because the courthouse sat on a $100,000 bond.
Government remains a work in progress. Not every reform generates broad consensus, but common ground is a fantastic starting point.
• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Local News Network. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.
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September 19, 2026 at 10:01AM
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