Come Monday, things will be changing for the courts and law enforcement in Illinois. Parts of the controversial Safe-T Act will go into effect.
Part of this is the Pretrial Fairness that implements the no cash bail. Lee County Sheriff Clay Whelan said he fears this will result in a spike in crime in Lee County.
He added some people would be let back onto the streets who should be in the county jail. He said currently, 85% of those in the Lee County Jail are there for violent or sexually related charges.
However, the Sheriff wanted to assure the public that come Monday, the doors of the jail would not be flung open.
The only way a judge or a States Attorney can now show a person should remain in custody is if they can prove the people are a danger to themselves or others and/or they are a flight risk.
Whelan said the judges see the same people coming into their courts so they know who the repeat offenders are. Unfortunately, the Safe-T Act has taken out of their hands the ability to keep someone in jail and to make the community safer, said Whelan. Whelan did end by saying I hope I am wrong.
