Cook County’s Home Monitoring Crisis Is a Public Safety Catastrophe

January 7, 2025

Chicago has never been known as the fashion capital of the world. But we do lead in one particular accessory — ankle bracelets.

Thanks to our progressive “justice system,” dangerous menaces to society roam free encumbered only by the latest high tech fashion accessory, at liberty to rape, rob, pillage, and murder again and again at will with no consequences.

Now however, this unique fashionista trend is threatened by an internecine spit between our sheriff and chief judge here in Crook County.

Cook County’s electronic monitoring (EM) system is on the verge of collapse, and the consequences for public safety are staggering. Sheriff Tom Dart’s announcement that he will phase out his decades-old EM program leaves a critical question unanswered: Who will bear responsibility for monitoring some of the most dangerous offenders in the county? The answer, unfortunately, seems to be no one — and the public will pay the price.

Dart’s decision to end his program stems from valid concerns. Under current state laws and reforms, the sheriff’s office is required to allow EM detainees at least two days of unrestricted movement each week, making effective monitoring nearly impossible. Among these detainees are more than 100 individuals accused of murder or attempted murder. Dart rightly concluded that this system has become unmanageable and unsafe.

But the proposed transfer of the EM program to Chief Judge Timothy Evans’ office raises even graver concerns. Evans admits that his office lacks the manpower, budget, and legal authority to monitor offenders adequately. His probation officers can’t make arrests; they can only report violations to a judge, who must then issue a warrant. Meanwhile, Chicago Police Department (CPD) officers, already stretched thin by record-high crime rates and staff shortages, would be tasked with tracking down violators — a logistical nightmare.

What’s worse, Evans’ office is not subject to the same transparency laws as the Sheriff’s department, meaning the public will be left in the dark about how many EM participants commit new crimes. Sheriff Dart, to his credit, has published detailed records of individuals on his program and their charges. Evans offers no such accountability.

The statistics are alarming. Cook County’s EM program has over 5,300 participants, compared to just 333 in Los Angeles County. Since 2016, the number of EM participants arrested for murder has skyrocketed by 619 percent, while arrests for other violent crimes have increased 333 percent. According to CWB Chicago, 20 percent of felony arrests involve suspects already on pretrial release for other crimes. Nearly 400 individuals have been arrested for murder or attempted murder while on bail or EM.

These aren’t just numbers — they represent real people whose lives have been destroyed by a broken system. The victims of crimes committed by EM participants deserve better than a justice system that prioritizes bureaucratic convenience over public safety.

Evans claims his program is more “humane” than Dart’s, offering participants access to services like drug treatment. But humanity without accountability is a recipe for disaster. If offenders can cut off their GPS monitors with little fear of immediate consequences, the system effectively rewards bad behavior.

It’s worth noting that the Pretrial Fairness Act, which eliminated cash bail, has already strained the county’s criminal justice system. While the act’s proponents argue it hasn’t increased violent crime, the lack of arrests for such crimes makes it nearly impossible to verify that claim.

Cook County residents deserve a public hearing on this issue. Why are violent offenders — including those charged with murder, rape, and gun crimes — being released into a system that lacks basic enforcement mechanisms? Why isn’t the county exploring alternative solutions, such as a consolidated EM program with adequate funding and staffing?

Sheriff Dart’s decision to end his EM program highlights systemic failures that have been ignored for too long. It’s time for Cook County’s leaders, including Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Chief Judge Evans, to answer for the consequences of their policies.

Public safety should never take a back seat to political expediency. The people of Cook County have a right to feel safe in their communities. Unless swift action is taken to address the glaring flaws in the EM system, that right will remain out of reach.

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