Chicagoans urge judges to follow bail laws

Cook County Jail
Barbed wire outside of Cook County Jail. (Doug Greenberg/MEDILL)

By Doug Greenberg
Medill Reports

On October 30, 2018, protesters gathered in front of the Cook County Criminal Courthouse to petition Chicago-area judges to follow General Order No. 18-8A, a measure that implores judges to lower bail in cases where the defendant is financially unable to pay it. In the year since the order was passed, several local judges have refused to set bail at affordable levels in non-violent cases, causing many of the offenders to lose their jobs. Inside the courthouse, a few protestors staged sit-ins as part of the demonstration.

You can learn more about how to get involved with this cause at http://www.soulinchicago.org/ and https://www.reclaimchicago.org/.

Photo at top: Barbed wire outside of Cook County Jail. (Doug Greenberg/MEDILL)