Chief Judge Evans Presents Budget Request for 2017 Cook County Budget

Cook County Board of Commissioners Finance Committee - Departmental Budget Hearings 
Day #8 - October 31, 2016

Chief Judge - presented by Tim Evans, Chief Judge        
Proposed Budget: 
FY17 - $286,208,131             
FY16 - $237,665,358
Proposed FTEs:
FY17 - 3105       
FY16 -  3175

Key Information Presented:

• Weekend hearings will be held on juvenile cases so that Juveniles arrested on weekends will not have to be held in detention for long periods of time. Judges will be assigned to weekend duty
• Juror payments have been decreased to the previous level of $17.20/day; Judge Evans wants to keep the jury pool large so “lawyers can’t game the system.”  and he will present amendments for this.
• Judge Evans is requesting body cameras for probation officers who make home visits.  Cost for 67 cameras is $316,500.
• Judge Evans indicated the 4-D program needs 7 more hearing officers to hear domestic relations—divorce issues  but was not specific as to what this program is for or how it works.

Questions/Comments from Commissioners

• Comm. Boykin expressed concern that defendants with illegal guns are being let go.   Evans said it is parole board that makes that decision; judges are being appropriate in their decisions.  Evans explained the Public Safety Assessment (PSA) and how a defendant can have a low risk score despite being arrested while having a gun.  However, some judges may still hold for bond because of the gun.  Having a gun when arrested shouldn’t be treated the same under all circumstances, but the PSA doesn’t differentiate. “Judges don’t always follow the PSA score recommendation.” He also asked why people are in jail for petty offenses.  Evans would prefer no bail at all, but has to consider the state bail statute.  He stated the use of the new PSA has lowered the jail count.
• Comm. Silvestri was concerned about the excessive overtime costs at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC).  JTDC Director Leonard Dixon explained that on any given day 35% of staff was out on FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) or regular sick leave.  Social Services department also has a high amount of overtime.  The Human Resources department will provide figures on FMLA leave.  This is a problem throughout the country according to Director Dixon.
• Asked about released homeless defendants:  Evans said there is nothing in his budget to help find services and home for these people.
• Asked about the use of the PSA in suburban courts, Evans said there is a timetable for having all courts use the PSA and that all (bond court?) judges have been trained  with good results.  The PSA is used only to assess persons charged with felonies, not misdemeanors.
• Comm. Steele was concerned about high bail amounts for little crimes.  Evans stated that government officials need to support judges who release defendants based on the PSA and yet they commit another crime.  
• Restorative Justice procedure explained by Evans.
• Comm. Gainer asked it the court tracks metrics on how the different judges ruled on bond.  Evans did not want individual judges to be tracked and have this made public.  Clerk Brown previously said these metrics were already being collected and could be released.  Evans will get back to Gainer after speaking with Attorney General Madigan’s office.  Both agreed that judges’ names could be left off the metrics.
• Comm. Daley submitted a written question regarding excessive management personnel at the Adult Probation Dept.  He is concerned about cost effectiveness and efficiency. Evans’ Executive Officer Anderson answered with a long series of charts and explanations which can be seen on Legistar.  This observer has no idea whether the charts show cost-effectiveness and efficiency or not.

Observer - Karin Hribar