By: Matt Rosenberg
It’s remarkable that as Illinois state lawmakers make police misconduct data more transparent under their 764-page SAFE-T Act, they’ve totally ignored needed reforms to bring similar transparency to felony criminal case sentencing. In places like Cook County, where horrific crimes by repeat offenders are daily news, residents should know who’s responsible.
Constituents should be able to see at the click of a mouse whether there was an acquittal, a dropped prosecution, a plea deal or a sentence issued. What were the case details? The actual punishment? What were the defendant’s pending felony charges, prior convictions, sentences, and actual time served? As with officers decertified by the state, what are the names of felony defendants? And if cops can be searched by names for certification status, so should prosecutors and judges, too, be searchable, for their case-by-case courtroom outcomes.
Yet in drafting their ginormous criminal justice reform bill, lawmakers sidestepped criminal case sentencing accountability. They failed to mandate that county courts disclose online the actual outcomes in criminal felony proceedings. And when the chance to vote for local judges comes up, voters are completely in the dark. There’s little to see except for Bar Association ratings so vague and politicized as to be meaningless.
Those are glaring gaps in transparency that lawmakers should remedy in their planned post-election fall veto session fixes to the SAFE-T Act.
Contrast that to what they’ve legislated for the police. Legislators had no problem mandating (p. 748) the creation of an online searchable public database that will let you look up officers by name who are certified by the state, and those decertified for misconduct. A companion database (p. 749), also to be publicly available online and searchable, will outline individual state decertification probes of local police, leaving out officer names.
Online access to documents for criminal cases? “Prohibited”
Today, Cook County residents can review the online dockets of cases in court divisions like civil, chancery, domestic relations, child support, probate, traffic, and naturalization. But online access to the details of criminal cases like armed robbery, assault, burglary, criminal sexual assault and murder aren’t available.
If you’re a Cook County resident who cares about the sentences handed down to criminals, you’ll have to take time off from work and drive or brave crime-ridden Chicago transit to get to the criminal courts building at 26th Street and California Avenue, in order to physically access case documents.
A first-rate news organization called CWB Chicago does exactly that – it physically goes to the courts – and reports the often-horrifying results. CWB’s work is highly commendable but inevitably piecemeal and focused on just one Illinois county.
Online transparency reforms on sentencing information are badly overdue. Illinoisans across the entire state deserve felony sentencing information to be as easily accessible online as a police officer’s certification status.
Creating more transparency for sentencing
The transparency reforms we’re suggesting have already been contemplated. The Supreme Court’s Electronic Access Policy (p. 6) seems to invite state and/or county lawmakers to improve case transparency: “If possible, the following information in court records should be made electronically accessible to the public if it exists in electronic form:…Sentencing information in criminal and quasi-criminal cases.”
But rather than embrace that suggestion, Cook County emphasizes the Access Policy’s current prohibition on showing criminal case documents online. Cook County also doesn’t tell you that the state’s Access Policy says that case information currently barred from online disclosure can be revealed if “explicitly provided by court rule, court order, or law.”
Right now, Cook County judges and prosecutors have little to fear from anyone calling them out about the justice system’s laxity or incompetence. There are only a few citizen watchdogs, like CWB, monitoring sentencing of criminals and calling out abuse of judicial discretion which puts public safety at risk.
Online transparency in criminal sentencing will not improve unless and until lawmakers take the initiative on behalf of law-abiding citizens, rather than on behalf of criminals.
And they won’t do that without a very big push.
*Cover image via Eric Allix Rogers at Flicker.
Read more from Wirepoints:
- Some Prosecutors Now Assessing Which Pre-Trial Detainees To Release On January 1, Contradicting Claim That SAFE-T Act Not Retroactive
- Five more things wrong with Illinois’ SAFE-T Act
- Threatening Illinoisans’ safety: Six major flaws in the SAFE-T Act’s end to cash bail
- Gov. Pritzker, Call A Special Session On SAFE-T Act. Voters Deserve To Know Before Election If Any Real Changes Will Be Made.
Audio and summary 
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
Great article. Exactly what’s needed.
In a sense, this should really not be a surprise. After all, it was the sainted Barack Obama that started the war on police, and other Democrat offfice holders are just following his lead.
The SAFE-T Act is dangerous. This was rammed through the Illinois Legislature in the middle of the night (very reminiscent of the Affordable Care Act). Prior to any Bill/Legislation being passed, ratified and signed into law, each State Representative and Senator should have ample enough opportunity to review it – line by line. One hundred (100) Illinois State’s Attorneys have objected, and several have filed lawsuits against the SAFE-T Act, including James Glasgow (D) Will County S.A. Since there are other S.A.s that have recently filed their own lawsuits, I’m sure all with be consolidated. I hope (and pray) that… Read more »
The online information for criminals should be (a) very easily accessed; (b) up-to-date; (c) detailed – crime, conviction status, sentence issued; (d) status of the individual as they serve their time…
All of that is indisputable public knowledge.
As for law enforcement, name listing and status only and only if such disclosure does not put the individual at risk in any way.
The only thing I’d change on Matt’s article is the first sentence. It’s remarkable, but not surprising.
The SAFE-T Act is an absolute disgrace. While focusing on the behavior of police, who have to make split-second decisions in dangerous situations is a terrible idea. Politicians in Illinois, especially Democrats probably do not have any law enforcement experience in drafting disastrous laws like this ill-named piece of trash legislation. Only two state’s attorneys out of 102 think this is good legislation—Cook County’s Kim Foxx and Lake County’s Eric Rinehart. The other 100 state’s Attorneys in Illinois think that it makes the entire state less safe.
And you wonder why nobody wants to be the Chicago Police anymore….
Soon we’ll have more people interested in becoming cops. Dirty cops, corrupt cops on the take, gang bangers and cartel members infiltrating the force…
Matt, thank you for your work and for being a voice of reason in an increasingly dystopian country. That we live at a time where police officers are essentially treated with more contempt than seasoned criminals boggles the mind.
Seems like it pays to be a criminal these days. Sad state of affairs.
Demonizing cops while canonizing criminals? The perfect liberal recipe for a peaceful and “equitable” society. What could go wrong?
Matt thank you for all the work you have been doing. Let’s hope you are a wake-up call to Chicago.
Tuesday night the McHenry County Board Passed 2 resolutions. One to request the state repeal of the SAFE T Act in its entirety and the other to toss out HB 3447. HB 3447 has a lot to it, but the main concern is its provision to reduce the possession of 3 grams of Fentanyl to a misdemeanor (a misdemeanor is currently 1 gram or less). 2 milligrams of Fentanyl can kill a user. 3 grams can hypothetically kill 1,500 individuals. HB 3447 passed through the House and is alive in the Senate. The resolutions both passed on mostly partisan lines.
Let’s address the elephant in the living room here, the woke left and BLM types in general are pro-crime! They identify with a culture of criminality and wanted to do everything in their power to increase violent crime in the Inner City and make sure that nobody is able to stop it. Pretty much everything they do is geared towards that end. As crazy as it sounds, it’s the only logical explanation that makes any sense when you look at their actions and the results of those actions.
Judges need to speak up but they are afraid. They are afraid of their co workers and outside interest groups calling them racist. A small group of people are controlling this narrative. People should care. January is quickly approaching.
This is disturbing. Thank you for writing this and making people aware.
It’s amazing that they can get so much work done in the dead if the night, but not for the right reasons. This bill was never actually thought out and scrutinized. I heard Pritzker that they’ll need to go back on it to fine tune it. WHAT??!! Well, that’ll never happen like the ACA. Because the Democrat’s have been in control we’ve been going out of control. Now with this legislation. Again, another sad and terrible performance from our elected officials.
Thanks again for pointing out what needs to be done for real transparency in Cook County.
How a fella like Pritzker, born into one of wealthiest families in America, purports to represent the average Chicagoan is simply preposterous. Neither he nor any of his siblings has done a days work, or been responsible for anything but perusing the family portfolio, has very little skin ‘in this game’ we call citizenship.
No reason to worry!! JB has assured all that he’ll look at some (unspecified) changes to the SAFE-T Act … after the upcoming election. 🙄
Once again…the politicians demonstrate their disdain for victims of crimes and their love affair with criminals. Transparency is transparency…if it is good for cops, it is certainly good for prosecutors and judges. Seems to be common sense and fair play on the face of it. The vicious cycle of repeat criminals committing felonies, being caught and arrested, and summarily released by prosecutors and judges is a fraud on we citizens and it should be exposed…little wonder that the people in power want to keep it a secret and expose themselves to ridicule…and worse, expulsion. The deck is stacked folks and… Read more »
Great article and insight on how the General Assembly has failed again with terrible legislation. Thanks Matt for shedding light on this disaster.
Illinoisans will continue to be abused by their state government as long as they continue to elect and re-elect Democrats to representative, prosecutorial, and judgeship positions. When will they learn?
The only thing that will bring this much-needed transparency of information regarding the prosecution and sentencing of felons is indeed a great deal of pushback from the public. Unfortunately, most hardworking, law-abiding people in our society are being kept so busy and off balance trying to survive in this current economically-and-culturally-rotting climate, they either aren’t aware of the need for this information, or they haven’t the energy or courage to take a stand and engage in the “big push” for this transparency. Leftist cancel culture and societal punishment of people who stand for what’s right from those who have created… Read more »
Excellent comprehensive detailed review of where the courts are with respect to transparency on court case file details. There apparently have little incentive to adopt the Supreme Court’s electronic access policy. The ideas you posit here would surely expose judges and prosecutors oftentimes cavalier dispositions in cases with violent offenders. Great job, Matt!
Here is a key quote from Matt Rosenberg’s clear outline of the problem of lopsided transparency:
“Right now, Cook County judges and prosecutors have little to fear from anyone calling them out about the justice system’s laxity or incompetence.”
Why do we-the-people tolerate nonsense like this?
Transparency like that allowed for sexual predators should be instituted for all felons, and for judges. We should be entitled to know the who, what, when, and where.
This idea is little more than common sense. That’s probably why we won’t get it.
Is it we-the-people or we-the-sheeple?
Another terrific piece that hopefully reaches every lawmaker. Your transparency reforms make a whole lot of sense. Cook County has been slow on innovating its civil docket as well.
My question or series of questions: We know what’s wrong in this state on any number of issues, when these bills were being discussed, regardless of at what time of the day or night, where was the opposition sounding the alarms? Where was the activation from conservatives, activation is not just on social media but door to door and at these legislators’ offices. Much of the criminal justice system is in the hands of circuit court judges, THEY ARE ELECTED. At present how many judges face any opposition or are being called out by name other than Chief Judge Tim… Read more »
This is why people are leaving Illinois. Those that left have asked these questions (plus many more) and concluded the situation is hopeless.
35 people commenting on the article is not enough people to turn the tide. It will need to get a lot worse. This massive blue progressive wave has zero real political opposition. While we at Wirepoints are fiercely defending the police and the rule of law, there are a whole lot of mindless followers who want more and more free things, universal basic income, free phones, etc. This is who is running the ship, that ship has already crashed into the iceberg, they could careless as it slowly sinks into the abyss. Leaving is really the only logical move. Its… Read more »
36 comments now! Or 37. But I had a friend on Saturday night at the movies tell me the same thing: “Yeah, you’re right, man. And I may finally vote Republican for the first time in my life. But folks will have to see it get a LOT worse before they vote or act to change. The BLM / Reform boat has sailed.” I don’t want to be pessimistic, but he may be right. The best we can do is PUT in front of people the facts that these reform efforts are creating horrible results. I think folks should be… Read more »
Some other pundit said that 2016 was the Ferguson effect. IIRC the murder rate nationally went up that year, not just in Chicago.
I have referenced the fair – and – balanced reporting that Wirepoints does many times to others, but they often slough off the incisive and data – driven reporting here as “Right Wing Paranoia!”, or “But TRUMP!”. And these are smart and educated people – it is very disheartening that so many only have “Regime Media” as their information sources…
Excellent article.
What an organization chooses to measure is what they will manage.
Politicians do not actually want to manage crime and District Attorneys do not actually want to have their results be transparent.
Take for example gun laws. Politicians always want more, but it often seems when it comes to applying the laws that District Attorneys plea down felonies to misdemeanors with minimal penalties.
If the average citizens could see this information we would understand we do not need more laws… we need to fully apply the laws we have. And that is not happening now.
This X10000 – excellent response, could not agree more, and the gun law point I’m totally going to have to steal and use when talking to my bonehead dem friends.
This article, and the points it makes, helps to clarify how obvious it is that the SAFE-T Act was designed to ease the burden on those accused of crimes. It was not designed to improve the Justice System or to make our neighborhoods safer in any way. As many Illinois Democrats are calling for some “tweaks” to the SAFE-T Act, claiming “…there are people who do not understand the SAFE-T Act” – Gov. Pritzker, as the pushback from hard working Illinois people becomes real. The fact is, they DO understand it. The SAFE-T Act does not need to be tweaked;… Read more »
Spot on. 👍🏻
Another insanity of this 700 page Act. Truth is not a value of Pritzker who deflects by saying some things could be changed, but never reveals what he’s talking about specifically. Vote this absurdity out, PLEASE!
In another example of the Bizarro world Illinois is becoming, this law protects criminals and targets the police.
Stop blaming the politicians. Put the blame squarely on the voters. That’s where it belongs.
Couldn’t agree more. The voters want this otherwise all the politicians that voted for this would be thrown out.
Please don’t underestimate the seriously huge amount of “democrat”voter and election fraud that has been taking place in the State of Illinois for decades. It’s how this state ended up with one-party leftist rule.
Blame the voters? Don’t you mean give them credit? This bill is progressive utopia!
The voters are more concerned about equity for those arrested than the safety of their own families. I will never understand the mind of the majority Illinois voter. We simply look at the world differently.
You should have all upvotes. Exactly correct! Voters can be ignorant and they have shown us time and time again that they make really stupid decisions at the ballot box. At what point in time does that become a zero sum game? Voters wanted this and if they have sour grapes, why did you vote for Kim Foxx again? They have brought this on all by themselves. Self inflicted wounds.
“Blame the voters” is a very broad brush. Voters in most of the state have repeatedly tried to throw these politicians out. So maybe the statement should be corrected to “Blame the voters of Chicago and Cook County”. Yes, we do blame them.
This is just the way Evans, Foxx and Preckwinkle want the system to work so there is little to no accountability for Prosecutors who fail to prosecute, Judges who fail to sentence and Politicians who fail at their basic duty to protect their constituents.
34 years of experience in Chicago and the system that’s called the Criminal Justice system. It’s a gigantic cesspool of incompetence, politics, violence, and indifference. The Tribune interviewed the aloof Toni Preckwinkle and she practically went silly explaining how the Gold coast and other areas of Chicago are finally experiencing the violent crime that other areas of Chicago and Cook county have endured for decades. No consequences, no accountability, and Lots of help from clueless politicians all add up to more crime and violence. Think about this for justice,578 murders in Chicago so far this year, and only 114 arrests.… Read more »
F.O.P. recommendations for judges up for retention.
Thanks!
Totally believable coming out of such a corrupt place.
Dangerous new law. Do people really understand how bad this is going to be? Not everyone has private security like Lightfoot and Gov JB.
It’s very disheartening, indeed, that the pendulum has swung so far to the left that the victims of crime are given less consideration than the criminals. Why did this happen? Why do the, “powers that be,” want criminals out on the streets committing more crimes, rather than locked up in prison where they belong? Why are they content to allow law-abiding citizens to live in fear in their own communities, while the criminals are allowed to do as they please? I for one am sick and tired of plea deals, plea bargaining, lesser offenses considered INSTEAD OF ALL the actual… Read more »
Illinois voters are incapable of fixing their state. For the majority, it’s simply beyond their mental capacity to understand or comprehend why their state is so messed up. Think I’m exaggerating? Have you tried discussing the situation with your neighbors? They really do think like socialists and have no understanding of economics.
You nailed it!
This bill, passed in the middle of the night, is an intentional boom to criminals. Trump warned us that they would ruin the suburbs. This bill is the road map to that. Law and order can take a back seat now to criminals’ “rights”. God help us if Pigster is re-elected.
This Pritzker fella seems to be inhabited by demons. How else to explain his constant promotion of evil.
Polls suggest that Pritzker is comfortably ahead, so like the judges and prosecutors mentioned in this article, he has no incentive to do anything other than call critics of SAFE-T racists. I can’t decide if people are okay with the foreseeable consequences because they have not yet been personally affected or if they are numb to politics after years of the same ole same ole. Maybe it’s some of both. The opaqueness is intentional; it’s hard to see another explanation. This smacks of one more example of govt seeing the governed not as citizens but as subjects.
Just when one thinks this bill couldn’t get any more insane. There is another part to this insanity I’m curious about. When and if one is summoned for jury duty. Will people just shrug their shoulders, throw it in the garbage. And say why bother? After all according to Lori Lightfoot criminals just need love. CWB is a great site. It’s informative and also scares the heck out of me. I agree with transparency for all. But that isn’t going to happen. I shake my head continuously asking how does this make sense? There’s a saying nothing good happens after… Read more »
Pravda ad Izvestia provided the road map for one party rule. While their output was top down from the ruling class, the pervasive lack of investigative curiosity from our legacy media defies description and certainly explanation ….. and de facto, allowed the spawning of their US offspring. Once again Matt Rosenberg articulates, documents, and highlights the not so sleight of hand emanating from the leadership in Chicago and Illinois. Coupled with the a compliant journalism audience, SAFE-T and federal monikers such as Inflation Reduction Act are thrust upon the citizenry with nary a mention of the cognitive dissonance in the… Read more »
If you take a step back, what’s happened is that the progressives run the Democrat party. Progressives throughout history have never been interested in day-to-day governance, they’ve only been interested in imposing their poisonous ideology from the top down, mostly against the will of the population. That’s why we have a Biden regime that is nothing but lies and propaganda. They know people don’t like them. They see the polls, they get the emails, they see the ads, they know. They know they are losing grip. History shows regimes like this don’t last very long, and are usually overthrown by… Read more »
Judges and prosecutors, etc. won’t want to put themselves under a spotlight. Most likely they don’t want the public to know about plea deals and plea negotiations. But there still is a lot of public information available that could be highlighted. There needs to be a new online reporting service that will have someone in the courthouse who can witness what goes on in court and go through public information so that they could post it online. This is a business that would require investment, but it sure what shake things up.
The legislators have once again taken sides, and it is NOT with the innocent victims. What happened to VICTIM ADVOCACY? You see more sympathy for animals in cases of abuse. Not only does the emperor have no clothes, he is doing a jig with a smirk on his face!
This is by design. What duplicity. Continuous whistling past the graveyard. As a musician, I’m really getting to dislike when I have to play in the city at night. It used to be just the beggars & homeless. Now it’s organized gangs that specifically want to do you harm, or at the very least separate you from your wallet and phone.
Must also be difficult to escape while carrying an instrument.
Depends what’s in the violin case!
The legislators know that very few people will actually get up and go down to the place where the details of these cases are located. I wonder what they have to hide. Why are they so fearful of allowing access online to information that is legally publicly available? Are they trying to protect someone?
Illinois is so badly managed it seems almost impossible. How can you trust anything being said by Illinois officials? How can you trust election results? How can you live there? Seriously, what’s more important than the safety of your family?