01/08/2026
Sheriff Chris Watkins: Improving the SAFE T Act Is Essential for Safer Communities
Peoria County, IL — Governor JB Pritzker recently suggested he’s open to revisiting and improving the SAFE T Act. With the spring legislative session upon us, let’s see if the governor will stand by his word.
Law enforcement across Illinois has consistently raised concerns about how the current law limits our ability to detain violent and repeat offenders. The Peoria County data below comes directly from our jail management system and reflects individuals arrested on new charges and booked into our jail. Failure to Appear numbers represent Peoria County warrants, while Hold for Other Agency numbers represent out of county warrants.
The SAFE T Act took effect in September 2023. Since then, the promises made about reduced crime and improved court appearance rates simply haven’t materialized. In fact, court appearance failures have increased, and while shootings and murders may be down, non detainable offenses have gone up.
No cash bail has weakened accountability for repeat, high impact offenders who fall outside the narrow detainable categories. Here’s what lawmakers can do to fix it:
1. Expand the List of Detainable Offenses
Current law only allows detention for a limited set of charges or when prosecutors can prove a “real and present threat.” This leaves out serious non violent and some violent offenses that still harm our communities. Burglary, and Fleeing and Eluding are very hard, if not impossible, to detain someone on.
Most of our shooters and murderers are being held without bond. This has shown to decrease some of our violent crime. But Judges and State’s Attorneys need to stop being handcuffed by poor legislation and given more authority to detain offenders who clearly pose ongoing risks. Let them do their job.
2. Restore Bail Eligibility for Certain Offenses
Eliminating cash bail removed an important middle ground option. Right now:
•Repeat low level offenders cycle through the system with no accountability
•Judges lack the tools to ensure compliance and court appearance
•Victims and neighborhoods see the same individuals reoffending almost immediately
Reintroducing bail for low level offenses would restore balance. It would also allow us to intervene with drug and alcohol involved offenders, many of whom benefit from the treatment programs we offer in the jail, including Vivitrol.
3. Reinstate Daily Credit Toward Bail
Before the SAFE T Act, defendants earned daily credit toward their bail amount. This system:
• Encouraged good behavior
• Reduced unnecessary pretrial detention
• Helped resolve cases more efficiently
• Provided a fair, structured incentive
Bringing this back would restore a proven tool that supported accountability without compromising safety.
The no cash bail system was intended to promote fairness and reduce unnecessary detention. But in practice:
•Repeat offenders charged with serious property crimes are routinely released
•Judges have limited discretion for offenses like retail theft or fleeing
•Communities feel the impact as these crimes rise and accountability erodes
Peoria County’s data shows that while most violent crime is decreasing, the system is failing to contain repeat, high impact criminal behavior that undermines public safety and public confidence. When violent offenders are released because prosecutors cannot meet an unfair burden, victims are betrayed, and communities lose faith in the system.
This doesn’t even account for our juvenile justice issues. Police need the authority to detain juveniles accused of violent crimes or felonies at a juvenile detention center until they see a judge. It makes no sense to send a 16-year-old home after vehicle break-ins, thefts, or property damage. I support reform, but not at the expense of public safety.
