Community members hold rally in favor of Pretrial Fairness Act

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - The Illinois Network for Pretrial Fairness, the Faith Coalition for the Common Good, the United Congregations of the Metro East and other groups met at the Sangamon County Jail to share support for the Pretrial Fairness Act.

The group says the act is well researched and the only changes that need to be made have to do with clarity for enforcement.

"We support changes that will support successful implementation and changes that will help counties to know exactly what they need to do to implement this and we are in favor of that," said Briana Payton, a member of the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice. "What we are not in favor of is changes that would increase pretrial jail and changes that would expand the power to jail people pretrial in our state, even beyond what the current system does."

Illinois is the first state to advance legislation eliminating cash bond. Advocates at the event say current cash bond rules go against key rules and US policy.

"We have a chance to do what we say in this country, that you are innocent until proven guilty by being able to not be languishing in a prison pre-trial, just because you don't have money to pay your way out," said Marie Franklin, a former law enforcement officer and member of the United Congregations of the Metro East.

Speakers shared concerns that the State Legislature would change the Pretrial Fairness Act to re-introduce cash bail.

Reverend Martin Woulfe leads Abraham Lincoln Unitarian Universalist Church. He is also the President of the Faith Coalition of the Common Good. He said the Pretrial Fairness Act treats issues of over-incarceration at the source.

"We come together so that we can advocate for systemic change, not charity work, but systemic change to improve the lives of the citizens of Illinois, especially here in central Illinois," said Reverend Woulfe.

After the rally, members headed to the Capitol Building to speak with the representatives of their districts. The group included residents from across the state.