While the Illinois Supreme Court weighs the constitutionality of the state law to end cash bail, an agency in Springfield is helping downstate judges make decisions about bond.
Director of the Office of Statewide Pretrial Services Cara Smith and her staff are working with 70 county courts to compile defendants’ criminal, work and educational histories.
She said judges - and even a state’s attorney - have told them they appreciate the office’s verified and impartial information.
Smith wouldn’t comment on the legal challenge to the SAFE-T Act but said they’ll continue to do their work if cash bail stays or not.
After the legislature required circuit courts to set up their own pretrial agencies in 1987, Cook and the collar counties did.
Smith said Chief Judge Timothy Evans has created a "very robust" agency in Cook.
Dedicated funding came just last year, allowing the Office of Statewide Pretrial Service to grow to 136 staffers.
She said her office hopes to add electronic monitoring services by the summer as well as drug testing.
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