Illinois Supreme Court Announces Creation of Pretrial Accountability Task Force

The Illinois Supreme Court announced today the creation of a Pretrial Accountability Task Force (Task Force) to address the growing number of defendants on electronic monitoring and make system improvements in the arrest warrant (warrant) process. There are currently over 5,500 pretrial defendants presently being monitored electronically across Illinois.

The Task Force is charged with examining the use of pretrial electronic monitoring (EM), including the types of cases and charges for which EM is ordered as a condition of pretrial release, as well as the policies and procedures governing how pretrial EM violations are enforced. The Task Force will examine and evaluate the processes, practices and policies related to warrants issued during the pretrial phase of a criminal case, including the number of active warrants statewide and the enforcement mechanisms in place to ensure pretrial warrants are executed expediently.

The appointed members of the Task Force are Cook County Circuit Court Chief Judge Charles S. Beach, 7th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Ryan M. Cadigan, 20th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Andrew Gleeson, Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly, 12th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Daniel Kennedy, Loyola University Chicago Center for Criminal Justice Professor and Co-Director David Olson, Counselor to the Chief Justice Dartesia Pitts, Director of the Office of Statewide Pretrial Services Cara LeFevour Smith, and 16th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Robert K. Villa. Chief Judge Villa will serve as Chair of the Task Force.

In addition, each chief judge will designate one judge from his judicial circuit who hears criminal cases to serve on the Task Force. A Circuit Court Clerk (or Clerk’s designee) from each of the circuits represented will serve on the Task Force. A Sheriff (or Sheriff’s designee) from each of the above-referenced circuits will also serve on the Task Force. The Task Force will also consult with local law enforcement agencies.

The Task Force will hold its inaugural meeting within the next seven days. The Task Force will issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the Supreme Court within 45 days.

The order creating the Task Force is available here.

(FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: James Brunner, Public Information Officer of the Illinois Supreme Court at 217.208.3354 or jbrunner@illinoiscourts.gov)