Kane County in pilot program to reduce recidivism
Kane County has been selected as one of three judicial circuits in Illinois for a pilot program in which authorities prepare a Public Safety Assessment for people arrested on felony charges.
The assessment is one tool used by judges in determining bond, with the goal of reducing recidivism, controlling the jail population and keeping the public safe, Kane County Chief Judge Judith Brawka said.
"The longer people are in custody before trial, the more likely they are to recidivate. We're trying to break that cycle."
Under the program, which Kane officials hope to begin in January 2016, a PSA will be prepared within 24 hours of a felony arrest. The evaluation will be ready for bond call, where a judge sets the amount of money that a defendant must post to be released from jail while the charges are pending.
"Until now, our judges have not had access to the empirical data that would help them make the most effective decisions about who to release and who to detain before trial. The Public Safety Assessment will help fill this critical gap," said Michael Tardy, director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, which is funding the program.
According to the AOIC, the PSA was developed using 1.5 million cases from 300 jurisdictions from across the country and is based on factors such as a defendant's criminal history, current charge and age. Officials say the data-driven report is race and gender neutral, and judge's still have the final say in setting bond. If the pilot program proves successful, the AOIC hopes to implement the PSA statewide.
"It's just one piece of information to be used by the court," Brawka said. "(Setting bond) is always within a judge's discretion."
Two other counties - Cook and McLean - also are participating as officials wanted a mix of small, medium and large judicial circuits, Brawka said.
Brawka said studies have shown that as few as three to seven days spent in jail while a case is pending increases the likelihood the defendant will reoffend in the future, whether that person is found guilty or not.
When the PSA program is unveiled, there could be an increase in personal recognizance bonds, Brawka said. The population at the Kane County jail could decrease, or it could remain the same with a shift in the types of people held there: more defendants accused of violent offenses and fewer being held on nonviolent offenses, she said.
"There is no promise that the (jail) population will decrease. The population could change," Brawka said. "There can be good outcomes and we have to try to break the cycle (of recidivism)."