Advocates for eliminating cash bail say the system is unfair to poor people who cannot afford their bail and it forces many of them to plead guilty simply so they can get out of jail. People who can afford their bail, on the other hand, often have better outcomes in their cases because they have more time to work with their attorney.

But McDonough County Sheriff Nicholas Petitgout said bail is also an effective way to ensure someone will make their court appearances. Since the 2017 reforms went into effect, he said, the number of warrants issued in his western Illinois county has more than doubled, from fewer than 1,000 per year before the change in law to more than 2,000 per year.

“Since the reform, if you’re a criminal, you are twice as likely to have a warrant (for failure to appear) and half as likely to cooperate with the criminal justice system,” he said.

Springfield Police Chief Kenny Winslow said judges already have authority to lower a bond amount or release people on their own recognizance if they deem an initial bond amount is too high.

“We just think that going to the far extreme of abolishing cash bail is the wrong way to go right now,” he said.