In a call for action against worsening criminal violence, state Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) spelled out that “government 101 starts with keeping your streets safe from violent people.”
She challenged justice reform legislation Gov. J.B. Pritzker is proud to have recently signed.
“Gov. Pritzker has been touting his so-called success with criminal justice reform,” Mazzochi said. “I'd like to know what he considers to be a failure. So far in Chicago, we're halfway through the year and we have the highest murder rate than many of us have ever seen. Why is this happening? It's happening because of bad government policies that prioritize predators over people and innocent victims, and our local neighbors are being terrorized.”
She said that the governor is “failing at the single most important duty” of the government — keeping the community safe.
“While he talks quite a lot about equity, he's helping to take failed soft-on-crime policies statewide,” Mazzochi said, referring to the governor. “That's not more equitable for crime victims and is certainly not more equitable for people whose neighborhoods are under attack and are unsafe.”
She stressed that approving measures that limit law enforcers' authority poses risk for the public’s welfare.
“My home county of DuPage County, we’ve seen a rise on all sorts of crimes, we’ve seen rises in burglary and carjacking and where our local county sheriff says on any given day probably 40% of the people in his jail have Cook County or Chicago addresses,” she said. “It's bad enough that Chicago has chosen to follow these failed policies that are hurting our local counties.”
While Mazzochi and other Republicans contest the bills that the governor signed on July 15, Pritzker stated that it was a moment Illinois has marked “truly, one of the most joyous and important accomplishments for a fair and safe criminal justice system. And [it’s] something that should make people all across this state proud.”
Pritzker confirmed that Chicago is not the only city that has seen an increase in violence. He said Rockford, Carbondale, Quincy, and Champaign are also affected.
Police groups and concerned citizens have said that a focus to stopping crime needs to be on mental health, community programs, and recognition that police officers are necessary for public safety.
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