Title
Resolution Honoring the Rights of Victims and Demanding that Violent Offenders Be Held Accountable and Enforcing Maximum Bail and Punishments Allowed by Law
History
Protecting public safety in the Village of Orland Park is the Village’s highest responsibility. Cook County is experiencing life-changing and life-threatening crime with unprecedented homicidal activities putting the general public at risk of hurt, harm and danger. The escalating crime wave includes unsolved murders, shootings, killings of children and youth, and criminal activities which are of such a nature that an extreme response of extra help and support is necessary. The vitality of our community depends on how safe we keep our homes, neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces because crime and fear of crime diminish the quality of life for all.
Tens of thousands of people in Cook County are victims of crime every year. Some victims endure horrific acts of violence, some have personal possessions damaged or stolen, and others are defrauded or exploited financially. Whatever the crime, many victims lose something that can never be fully recovered: a sense of trust and safety. Many of these victims are twice victimized: once by a criminal and once by a criminal justice system that increasingly prioritizes criminals over the safety of law-abiding citizens.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed 970 homicides in 2020, a more than 40 percent increase over 2019’s total of 675. The last time Cook County saw more than 970 homicides was in 1996. In the first three (3) months of 2021 in Chicago, carjackings are higher than in 2020, murders rose 33% over the same period last year, and shootings spiked 43%.
Criminals should be held accountable for their actions. A Chicago Tribune analysis found that during Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s first three (3) years as the county’s top prosecutor, her office dropped all charges against 29.9% of felony defendants, a dramatic increase ove...
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