Cook County’s system of electronically monitoring criminal defendants awaiting trial is the largest such system in the country, according to the county sheriff’s office. More than 3,500 people accused of crimes, including over 100 facing murder or attempted murder charges, aren’t behind bars and instead are confined to their homes or given curfews to return there, depending on the severity of their alleged offenses.
Our county is highly unusual in having two such systems, one run by Sheriff Tom Dart and the other by Cook County Chief Judge Tim Evans. Dart has said his office will stop monitoring the movements of new defendants beginning in April, likely leaving the Cook County courts to manage the critical function alone.
Dart’s rationale is that he doesn’t think his office can keep residents safe as the number of defendants on home confinement grows. New Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke, elected on promises to take a harder line on accused criminals than her progressive predecessor, has said the office will prosecute more crimes. Cook County judges likely will see more defendants before them, which logic suggests will mean more people headed to Cook County Jail but also more defendants wearing ankle bracelets…