If you need a U-Haul, don’t look in the Land of Lincoln. They’re all being used and the ones available will cost a pretty penny as people leave the state for greener pastures. Over the last decade, people have been fleeing Illinois in droves. Illinois Policy noted that this year “marks the eighth consecutive year of population decline for Illinois, according to Census Bureau estimates. The only state that’s population has been in decline longer, West Virginia, currently is suffering its ninth consecutive year of population decline.
Illinois continues to see a natural increase in population as births outpace deaths, but by an increasingly narrow margin. It also is gaining residents from abroad. But so many people are moving out of Illinois to other states that the state’s total population is in decline.”
Young people are fleeing the fastest. The Wall Street Journal noted, “Over the last decade, Illinois’s median age has increased to 38.8 from 36.6, which puts it among the fastest aging states. Florida’s median age ticked up two years to 42.7.
Illinois is losing young people while Florida is gaining them. State development specialist Zach Kennedy notes that “the U.S. population actually grew in the prime working age, young adult age cohorts, 25 to 29, 30 to 34 and 35 to 39 year olds.” Illinois was among the few states to see a decline in these age cohorts.”
Boasting the country’s highest tax rates, second-highest property taxes, second-highest gas tax and nation-leading pension debt, it’s clear that liberals in the very blue state have run it into the ground. That’s why they’ve wizened up and adopted low-taxes, less spending, and a law and order attitude towards crime.
Just kidding, instead, Governor J. B. Pritzker and Illinois Democrats have decided to apparently make a live action version of “The Purge” in their state.
Breitbart described the looming disaster in the Land of Lincoln. Beginning January 1, 2023, Illinois will become the first state in the nation to have eliminated cash bail — even for some of the most violent crimes. As a result, local district attorneys say they will be forced to free thousands of suspects accused of crimes like murder and kidnapping.
In Winnebago County, Illinois, alone the district attorney estimates that about 400 charged criminals will be freed from jail despite their being accused of violent crimes. Likewise, in Will County, Illinois, about 640 charged criminals will be freed from jail, including 60 accused of murder.
Violent crimes for which bail will be abolished next year:
- Second-degree murder
- Drug-induced homicide
- Kidnapping
- Robbery
- Burglary
- Aggravated battery
- Nearly all drug offenses
- Aggravated DUI
- Aggravated fleeing
- Arson
- Intimidation
- Threatening a public official
“Anyone sitting in jail right now with all these pending charges, they’re going to be let out,” Johnson County, Illinois Sheriff Peter Sopczak told WTVO. “The gates are open and they’re going to be let out onto the streets.
The new law even allows suspects accused of domestic violence to be released from jail after just 24 to 48 hours. If prosecutors cannot prove that the suspect is a direct threat to one or more people, they will be released from jail without bail.
The Winnebago County State’s Attorney J. Hanley also said, “Additionally, in cases involving non-probationable forcible felonies, such as murder and armed robbery, judges may only detain a defendant under the new law if the prosecution proves by clear and convincing evidence the defendant ‘poses a real and present threat to the safety of a specific, identifiable person or persons.’
Imagine the defendant who murdered his wife, to whom he no longer poses a threat, being released because of this ridiculously limited legal standard. Even more absurd, judges may no longer issue a warrant when a defendant fails to come to court. Instead, an absent defendant must next be served with a court order asking them again to appear and then fail to appear a second time before a warrant may be issued.”
Complete lunacy.
Illinois already boasts one of the most violent cities in the United States. The Hill wrote, “Chicago has seen a 36 percent increase in overall crime since last year, though shootings and murders fell slightly. The city, which has a history of high gun violence, saw other crimes like burglaries, thefts and car jackings rise over the past year.
Shooting incidents declined by 11 percent and murders were down 6 percent from this time last year, when Chicago recorded the most homicides in 25 years. Burglaries were up 36 percent, thefts were up 70 percent and carjackings were up 43 percent, according to police data tracking crimes through March 27.”
Refusing to detain violent criminals will work wonders to drive those numbers down, I’m sure.
Jim Durkin of the Chicago Tribune explained the looming disaster for his state. He said, “Included in Pritzker’s crime bill is a ticking time bomb set to go off at the start of next year that will have serious ramifications for law-abiding citizens and give drug cartels free rein on Illinois’ streets.
The elimination of cash bail, which will begin Jan. 1, will have wide-ranging consequences throughout our criminal justice system. With the elimination of cash bail, criminal suspects will be detained before trial only in the case of forcible felonies that are nonprobational or unless they are considered a flight risk or a danger to someone in the community. Many violent crimes, including robbery, vehicular invasion, driving under the influence causing death and second-degree murder, do not qualify under this law. This policy is a horrible slap in the face to victims and neighborhoods desperately seeking safety.
So how does this affect the war on drugs? Under Pritzker’s SAFE-T Act, it’s possible drug kingpins, smugglers, traffickers or distributors of illegal drugs won’t be detained before trial, no matter the quantity of deadly substances they are accused of possessing. Astonishingly, Pritzker and the Democrats don’t seem to believe there is a connection between drug dealers, street gangs, cartels and the gun violence our state sees daily.”
Pritzker has responded by calling his critics racists.
He’s also looking to take his policy national. The Illinois governor, who inherited billions from his family and has no concern about crime, has been hitting the road recently. Pritzker “spent time away from his home state to rally Democrats in Maine, New Hampshire and most recently Florida, where he gave the keynote address at an annual party gala last week,” according to reports.
While in Maine, the governor did not rule out running for president in 2024 if Biden steps aside. New Conservative Post wrote in the summer that Democrats are already looking for ways to push the old man aside.
Pritzker and his anti-jail policy may soon come to a town near you. Several states, including New York and New Jersey, both of which have been losing population for years like Illinois, have already limited the use of cash bail.
Originally appeared on New Conservative Post. Used with permission.
