Do you feel safer since the SAFE-T Act became law on Monday? The SAFE-T ACT eliminates cash bail throughout the entire state of Illinois. The intended purpose of this law was to prevent people that were found to be innocent at trial, but had to spend months in jail because they were not able to pay bail.
However, the negative effect of the SAFE-T Act is happening already in the first week of this law being enacted within the Land of Lincoln.
Take for example the strange tale of Terry Johnson. Johnson was arrested on Wednesday for a burglary in which he stole almost $70,000 worth of merchandise from a boutique in Hinsdale back in May. DuPage County authorities were able to apprehend Johnson earlier this week because blood at the scene matched his DNA.
Under the new law, Johnson was brought before a judge with the judge having to determine whether or not Johnson would be detained until his assigned court date of October 16th, 2023. Be advised that he also has previous charges of armed robbery and aggravated battery.
Since Johnson is considered to be a threat to society based upon these charges, he should have been detained until his new court by the judge because the SAFE-T Act states that he could be considered a flight risk because he has committed crimes in two different counties.
However, the presiding judge ruled with incompetency to allow Johnson to remain free until the trial begins on October 16. Johnson will have a GPS monitoring device placed on him and a restraining order that he must remain 1,000 feet away from the boutique that he robbed in May.
Here is the flaw in the execution of the SAFE-T Act. Johnson can still go anywhere else and commit crimes for the next two and a half weeks until his court date.
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