Sen. Curran Appointed To Commission On Pretrial Practices

DARIEN, IL — State Sen. John Curran has been selected to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Pretrial Practices. According to a release, Curran has nearly 20 years experience as a trial attorney for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.

“Illinois’ justice system is spending an exorbitant sum of its funds and resources on pretrial services and the detention of individuals who have committed minor offenses,” Curran said in a release. “The discussion for our pretrial practices is long overdue, and this Commission will work to create a structure of pretrial services that is fair, efficient, transparent, and most importantly, safe. Illinois counties need to allocate funds toward a more efficient criminal justice system and more effective use by law enforcement for keeping our communities safe.”

According to the release, members of the commission include appellate and circuit court judges, the Cook County Sheriff, state representatives and other judicial professionals. The group is primarily tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of the Illinois pretrial detention system and will make recommendations for changes.

According to Curran's office, one particular area they will explore is transitioning the courts from a resource-based (cash-bail) system to a risk-based system (how likely the person is to reoffend or flee before their court date). Their report will include an analysis of the fiscal impact of these potential changes at the county and state level. Their recommendations are due December 2019.

Photo provided by Sen. Curran's office.