Better or worse the new Criminal Justice Reform Bill
Why is House Bill 3635 a landmark piece of legislation in Illinois you ask? The Illinois Black Caucus’ legislation focused on criminal justice reform was recently signed into law by Ill. Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
“It is the first step to transforming criminal justice in Illinois in a way that will uplift our communities and support our law enforcement professionals,” stated State Senator Elgie R. Sims Jr.
HB 3653 brings forth the elimination of monetary bail, the requirement of body cameras worn by police officers by the year 2025, the banning of all police chokeholds, and a set of new guidelines for police decertification. Additionally, officers will be required to have regular mental health screenings, as well as being required to provide a valid reason as to why an arrest is taking place among other items within the law.
“With [this] implementation, we hope to prevent tragedies like the ones we’ve seen in the past several years. The deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the violation of Anjanette Young--- all situations that could have been avoided with such legislation in place” said State Senator Patricia Van Pelt.
*Quotes come from https://www.atlasnetwork.org arrange in a piktochart*
With the implementation of this law, legislators are advocating for things to be handled differently; the police are not the only people who will be affected as detainees, prisoners, and citizen’s rights will be as well. There are new requirements in the event police execute no-knock warrants, detainee rights include being able to make three free phone calls within three hours of their arrival at the police station before questioning, and there is a codify that prohibits police use of force as a punishment or retaliation.
Other areas the law focused on in the new criminal justice reform law are military equipment (bans the purchase and/or use of specific military equipment by law enforcement), court forms (changes the way people interact with the courts, offering alternative ways to immediate incarceration if see fit ), and police licensure (causes police to lose their certification if convicted/ found guilty of a felony).
It is imperative to know how the society you live in operates. AJ Skiera wrote in an article in 2018 that: “A just society requires that those who commit crimes stand punishment for their deeds before being allowed to reenter society. Yet, the punishment often doesn’t fit the crime, and even when it does, many are denied the tools to effectively become productive citizens..”