Critics of cash bail as a condition of pretrial release say it is especially unfair to Black people and other people of color.
Shannon Ross poses for a portrait Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, in Chicago. Ross, who describes himself as Indigenous and a person of color, was arrested in Chicago in October 2019 on weapons charges, and ultimately found not guilty. But that came only after he spent months in jail awaiting trial, lost his home, car, job and countless moments with his children. Illinois will become the first state to completely abolish cash bail on Sept.
11, 2023, in Chicago. Brooks’ bond was set at $150,000 after her first-time arrest on drug charges in 2017, according to the mother of three. No one in her family could pull together 10% of the bond for her to walk free. Illinois will become the first state to completely abolish cash bail on Sept. 18, making the state a testing ground for whether and how eliminating it works on a large scale. Lavette Mayes poses for a portrait at home Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, in Illinois.