Illinois, the first state among the 50 states to completely abolish the cash bail system and establish the principle of trial without detention, has decided to issue new identification cards to criminals who are arrested and detained on criminal charges in the Chicago metropolitan area and then released.
According to Chicago media on the 11th, the Illinois Secretary of State announced a new ID issuance program for prison inmates in Cook County, which governs Chicago, the state’s largest city, saying, “To support the successful return to society of ex-offenders. “He explained. Democratic Secretary of State Alexi Giulios and Cook County Sheriff’s Chief Tom Dart held a conference and announced, “We will provide free state-issued identification cards to inmates leaving the Cook County Jail.” Minister Giulios said, “Those who enter prison have limited access to housing, jobs, and medical services due to social barriers. Providing them with ‘essential tools’ such as valid ID cards will help them find housing and jobs.” “It will help them enrol in social welfare programs,” he said. He said, “This is the first such program in the entire United States,” and hoped that this program would be expanded throughout Illinois and spread to other states.
The Illinois General Services Administration and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office began a pilot operation on the 11th and began issuing free ID cards to some inmates leaving prison wearing electronic ankle bracelets (electronic location tracking devices). The Chicago Sun-Times reported, “About 2,300 defendants awaiting trial in Cook County can apply for ID cards in the first round,” adding, “1,800 people have already been released wearing electronic ankle bracelets and 500 are scheduled to be released.” Cook County said that once the program is established, it will be able to issue ID cards to 10,000 ex-offenders each year.
“Our goal is to issue new identification cards to all defendants facing trial while they are incarcerated, so they have a better opportunity when they return to the community,” said Sheriff Dart. “There is an ID reissue program for those who have expired from federal prison or state prison, but it does not apply to pre-trial defendants,” he said. “Identification cards are also a very important resource for defendants who are incarcerated or arrested and released and awaiting trial,” he said.
“The majority of people who are arrested on suspicion of a crime and come to prison do not have ID cards to begin with, and some have them confiscated during the investigation,” he said. “Through the new program, authorities will check the addresses, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers of inmates and provide them with ID cards.” “We can issue it,” he added.
Illinois has completely abolished the cash bail system and implemented judicial reforms that require defendants arrested and indicted on criminal charges to be tried without detention rather than being detained according to the ‘principle of presumption of innocence’ until the results of the trial are announced. This highly controversial bill was originally scheduled to take effect on January 1 of this year, but its implementation was put on hold due to court restrictions, and then took effect with the state Supreme Court ruling last September.
In its August issue, the monthly ‘Chicago Magazine’ published by the leading daily newspaper ‘Chicago Tribune’ listed the policies enacted by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (58, Democratic Party) since he took office and said, “Illinois is the most radical state in the United States.” He commented, “It has been transformed into a state.”