Alleged Gun Offenders Out Of Jail Thanks To Bond Reform: Sheriff

Bond reform in Cook County has led to hundreds of accused gun offender to be be released with electronic monitoring bracelets and overwhelming the program. It's a trend that worries Sheriff Tom Dart, who said in a letter Thursday to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle that his office is taking measures to deal with the increase, according to the Chicago Tribune.

As part of a countywide effort to keep alleged nonviolent offenders out of jail, judges have been ordered to set bails at affordable levels, the report stated. But since September, when the initiative went into effect, alleged gun offenders placed on electronic monitoring jumped from 2 percent to 22 percent of cases, the report added.

In his letter, Dart outlined the steps his office would be taking to make sure the release of gun case defendants wasn't a danger to the public, the report stated. His first move would be to immediately shift staff to the community corrections division that runs the electronic monitoring program, the report added.

"Those who are deemed to be too high a security risk to be in the community will be referred back to the court for further evaluation," Dart wrote.

More via the Chicago Tribune

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