At a conference hosted by the City Club of Chicago on Tuesday, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson and Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart addressed the high level of violence in the Windy City.
Johnson put the blame on repeat gun offenders and echoed his previous call for tougher sentencing, as opposed to the slap on the wrist they’re currently receiving. "Last year, of all the homicide offenders we arrested, 40 percent of them—almost half—had prior gun convictions. So what does that tell us?” he asked. "It's the same guys that choose that lifestyle."
Sheriff Dart noted that violent offenders arrested on gun charges are six times more likely to post bond than shoplifters. “The wrong people are being released," he pointed out. His plan is to reform the bail bonds system to detain anyone deemed dangerous to society, while nonviolent criminals would go free and be given access to pre-trial services such as anger management classes or drug addiction programs.
