Eileen O’Neill Burke, the newly sworn-in Cook County state’s attorney, has announced new policies focused on pretrial detention for violent offenses and stricter thresholds for retail theft. Burke’s approach marks a shift in priorities following the tenure of her predecessor, Kim Foxx.
Under the SAFE-T Act, Burke’s office will prioritize demanding pretrial detention for cases involving public transit violence, certain firearms offenses, domestic violence sex crimes, and crimes against children. “Let me be clear: weapons of war, violence against the vulnerable, and rampant harm to our communities will not be tolerated,” Burke said in a statement. She emphasized the importance of balancing fairness with justice for victims, stating, “The SAFE-T Act is a seminal piece of legislation that instills more fairness into our system while also requiring that prosecutors use every tool at their disposal to give victims a voice and keep Cook County safe.”
In addition, Burke announced a rollback of the retail theft threshold to $300, aligning with state law and reversing Foxx’s previous $1,000 threshold. The decision aims to combat organized retail theft and enhance accountability for offenders.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responded to the policy changes with cautious optimism. “I can say this, there have been policies in the past that have demonstrated that they are not effective,” Johnson said. “The good news, the part that’s encouraging, is there is a collective table of the county and the state and the city working together to improve public safety.”
Retailers have welcomed the lowered theft threshold, viewing it as a deterrent to organized retail crime. CBS Chicago reports that business owners are optimistic about the potential impact of Burke’s policy changes on curbing rampant retail theft in Cook County.
Burke’s initiatives signal a recalibration of Cook County’s approach to public safety, with an emphasis on protecting vulnerable communities and restoring accountability for criminal behavior.
