The McHenry County sheriff and state’s attorney are calling on Governor JB Pritzker for collaborative reforms to the Illinois SAFE-T Act as the two say that victims have lost trust in the justice system.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker recently said he was open to making changes to the state’s SAFE-T Act, which ended cash bail, among many other changes to the justice system.
The comments came after a woman was set on fire unprovoked by a man while riding a CTA train in Chicago on November 17.
The suspect is facing federal terrorism charges and he has been arrested more than 70 times throughout his life.
“Sometimes bills get passed and everybody that votes for it knows that there needs to be a trailer bill or a tweak that needs to be made afterwards. So I think everybody is open to listening to what changes might need to be made,” Pritzker said.
McHenry County Sheriff Robb Tadelman and McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese said Thursday that they welcome the openness. “Improving public safety begins with a willingness to recognize when a law needs adjustment.”
The two county leaders say that McHenry County’s justice system operated with “balance, accountability, and strong coordination” among law enforcement, prosecutors and the courts before the SAFE-T Act went into effect.
“That approach helped make our county one of the safest in Illinois. When the Act was passed, many of the people who work with victims and offenders every day were not included in shaping it—and the result has been a system that is harder for all of us to navigate, especially victims,” Tadelman and Freese said in a joint statement.
They say that a fair system depends on each part of government being allowed to do its job responsibly. “Judges must have space to interpret the law for their communities, prosecutors must be able to advocate for victims, and law enforcement must be able to protect the public.”
“When a single statewide bill overregulates or limits that flexibility, it creates a one-size-fits-all model that doesn’t reflect the unique needs of counties across Illinois,” Tadelman and Freese said.
They say defendants charged with violent crimes are often released with minimal conditions, limited supervision and little certainty that they will return to court.
“Victims notice this first, and their trust in the system is shaken. Reform can absolutely work—but it must be collaborative. Victims deserve a system that puts their safety first, respects the judgment of local officials, and ensures violent offenders remain accountable,” Tadelman and Freese said in the statement.
The state’s attorney and sheriff said they encourage the governor and legislators to work directly with local prosecutors, law enforcement leaders, judges and victims’ advocates as they consider revisions.
“McHenry County stands ready to help craft reforms that strengthen accountability, restore balance, and keep Illinois families safe. With honest partnership and respect for how communities differ, we can build a justice system that truly serves the people of Illinois,” Tadelman and Freese said.