NCJ Number
153693
Date Published
1992
Length
167 pages
Annotation
This study tracks a sample of more than 2,000 releasees in Cook County (Illinois) and documents their criminal activity from the time of their initial pretrial release until disposition of the case associated with that release.
Abstract
The three specific negative performance measures used here include declaration of a bond as forfeited, rearrest in Illinois on a new charge, and reincarceration at the Cook County Jail. Three types of pretrial release account for the vast majority of defendants released prior to trial in Cook County: those released on court deposit bonds, those receiving court recognizance bonds (court I-bonds), and those receiving Administrative Mandatory Furlough (jail I-bonds). While all three releasee groups had relatively high failure levels, the jail I-bond group exhibited the worst performance. This group included offenders already rejected for court I-bonds, who were released based on overcrowding at the Cook County jail. Fewer risk or stability criteria applied to the jail I-bond group than to the other pretrial release groups. This report documented the effect pretrial releasees criminal activities had on criminal justice expenditures, workload, and public safety in the State. Recommendations are outlined in terms of court- managed pretrial programs and jail-based recognizance release. 56 figures and 6 appendixes