Last Friday, the Sun-Times reported on more outrageous, pro-criminal consequences of Governor JB Pritzker’s anti-police bill (SAFE-T Act). Criminal defendants on home confinement while awaiting trial are now required to be set free at least two days a week with no monitoring.

“During that time, they’re supposed to be working or looking for a job, undergoing treatment for mental illness or drug addiction, attending school or buying groceries, according to the law.”

They’re “supposed” to be doing those things. But, unsurprisingly, criminals are using time off monitoring to commit more crimes.

From the Chicago Sun-Times…

“Since Jan. 1, about two dozen people have been arrested in Cook County while on essential movement time —about 1% of the people in the sheriff’s electronic-monitoring program, according to Cook County sheriff’s reports.

One man was accused of committing an armed robbery.

Others were charged with illegal gun possession and drug dealing.

Three went on shoplifting sprees, police say.

Two others were shot to death.

Even fellow Democrat and Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart finds this provision of the SAFE-T Act not particularly safe, saying, “At a bare minimum, they should say, ‘If you’re charged with a violent offense, and you’re given home monitoring, you don’t get to wander around free for two days a week.” Dart also said that the 1% figure might be understating the issue because violent crimes like shootings do not always result in an arrest being made.

Yet again, as Illinois and Chicago experience a rising wave of violent crime, the Governor’s pro-criminal policies get exposed as wildly out of touch and downright dangerous to the public. 

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