Cook County Prosecutor Warns of Electronic Monitoring Dangers for Violent Offenders
Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke has expressed concerns about the use of electronic monitoring for violent offenders, stating that it endangers the public. This stance comes amidst Illinois' implementation of the SAFE-T Act, which aims to reduce pretrial detention while maintaining public safety.
The SAFE-T Act, passed in 2021, has eliminated cash bail for most non-violent offenses in Illinois. It focuses on the defendant's crime, history, and risk to the community instead. Since its implementation, over 40,000 defendants have been placed on pretrial release, with only 1% charged with a new violent crime. This is a significant decrease from the 3% recorded before the SAFE-T Act.
In other jurisdictions like New York City, Harris County, Texas, Philadelphia, and New Jersey, similar bail reforms did not lead to a significant increase in violent crimes. Cook County's top prosecutor believes the city and county are safer today than a year ago, with the system working effectively. Judges have been requesting detention 95% of the time for violent crimes, with a 92% grant rate.
While the SAFE-T Act has led to a significant reduction in violent crimes among defendants on pretrial release, Republican Illinois State Representative Martin McLaughlin argues that any violent crime committed under these conditions indicates system failure. He maintains that the safety of Cook County residents remains a concern, despite the overall decrease in violent crime statistics.
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