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Your must read today: Cook County’s Bail Debate — What You Need To Know —- (thread) wbez.org/shows/wbez-new… via @WBEZ #Twill
No seriously read it before posting your hot take on why our mayor is right to parrot Rahm’s crime deflection.
“The total number of people being held in jail while they await trial has significantly decreased since bond reform. Fifteen months after the bond reform order, the jail population was down by 16%.”
“However, according to a report from the chief judge’s office, judges are finding more defendants a risk to the community and holding them behind bars, no matter how much money they could pay in bond.“
”The number of “no bail” orders increased eight fold since the bail reforms were implemented. In the 15 months before the judge’s order, 267 were held without bail. In the 15 months after the order, the number was 2,192.”
In other words - we are significantly locking less people up because they can’t afford to post bail and increasing and keeping locked up high risk individuals.
The attacks on bond reform by @chicagosmayor isn’t about your safety. It is about making you feel like it isn’t the cities fault.
And indeed this isn’t her fault. This is the real result of deliberate dis-investment in minority communities. It is a failed policing strategy that still clings to a hope of returning to stop-and-frisk. It is a failed strategy of tough on crime not smart on crime.
We can go back decades or just last year and see policy and executive decisions that have created an environment where people experiencing trauma are creating new trauma.
Where I take new offense is that this is now becoming @chicagosmayor’s path.
One day she is touting the need for comprehensive mental and social services - the next it is the judges fault. The flip-flop is real.
It is also wrong. When Eddie Johnson came to Springfield to push tough on crime bills - he came with zero facts and statistics to back up his claims. (He passed bills anyway.)
Now facing actual facts and statistics that prove Eddie Johnson’s agenda was wrong - we aren’t detouring - we seem to be doubling down with the new progressive mayor in tow.
Enough. We need our mayor to choose another path. One in which she successfully touted in her campaign. Rethink safety. Be honest with people. Invest.
If nothing else be better than the last guy. Imitation might be the “sincerest form of flattery” - but not when you are imitating a strategy and philosophy that has failed so many. #twill
