League to host Oct. 2 panel on first year of Pretrial Fairness Act

The League of Women Voters of Downers Grove, Woodridge, Lisle are partnering with the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation and Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice in hosting “Empowering Change: One Year of the Pretrial Fairness Act & Effects on Gender Based Violence” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, in the Lincoln Community Center Room 307, 935 Maple Ave. in Downers Grove.

Over the past year, the Pretrial Fairness Act has reshaped the landscape of pretrial detention, shifting the focus toward fairness and reducing unnecessary pretrial incarceration.

Join League of Women Voters for a pivotal event commemorating the first year of the Pretrial Fairness Act.

This legislation is designed to reform pretrial detention practices but also promote a more equitable justice system for survivors of gender-based violence. This milestone offers an important opportunity to reflect on the act's impact, especially within the anti-gender-based violence community.

The program will explore how the law has influenced efforts to combat gender-based violence, examining both its successes and the challenges that remain.

Hear from legal experts and advocates on how the Pretrial Fairness Act has affected survivors of gender based violence from legal practices to other advocacy efforts.

Moderator Emma Gonzalez of the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice will lead a panel including state Sen. Laura Ellman; Madeleine Behr, policy director at CAASE; and Loren Gutierrez, managing attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Metro Family Services.

Registration is encouraged but not required via bit.ly/EmpoweringChangeGBV.