Cook County Board members passed a proposal that decriminalizes the possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana. If approved, officers will have the discretion to write a ticket of $200 or issue misdemeanor charge.
There are over 130 incorporated municipalities in Cook County, the largest of which is the county seat, Chicago, which makes up approximately 54% of the population of the county.
"Why bog down the courts with that kind of thing when we can just charge them a little fine instead? That’s what this ordinance in the state allows us to do, to charge them a little fine, and then we will collect the fine rather than them charging them, taking them to the jail lockup, having them the next morning show up in court, and then bogging down the system, and they take the fine," said Commissioner Earlean Collins, chief sponsor of the measure.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Commissioner Collins admitted a personal motives for the proposal – her grandson was arrested for having a small amount of marijuana. she said:
“They got my grandson…he had a half of joint in the car. They stopped him. They took him to the police station. They impounded his car and let him out the next morning. Why do that? A lot of kids make a mistake, have a little marijuana, and they can avoid going to jail or court.”
Chicago mayor Richard Daley, Sheriff Tom Dart and Cook County Board President Todd Stroger were all caught by surprise of the announcement.
Under current Illinois law, possession of under 2.5 grams is a Class C misdemeanor with up to 30 days in jail plus fine. Between 2.5 grams and 10 grams is a Class B misdemeanor with up to 30 days to six months in jail plus fine.
Meanwhile, Illinois current governor Pat Quinn is considering releasing 10,000 non-violent prisoners in an effort to save the state some money in the face of a huge multi-billion dollar budget gap.
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