* Tribune…

The Cook County chief judge’s office has toughened protocols around its electronic monitoring program, making changes in the wake of high-profile incidents and as the office’s monitored population swells.

Chief Judge Charles Beach, who replaced the county’s longtime top jurist Tim Evans in December, announced on Wednesday changes around how violations of the program’s rules are handled.

Under the new procedures, “major violations” will be sent to go before a judge within 24 hours on both weekdays and weekends.

This has already been implemented on weekdays, according to a news release from the office, and will be in place on weekends starting Feb. 7.

* WTTW…

“These updates reinforce the Court’s commitment to timely judicial oversight and clear lines of responsibility,” Beach said in a statement. “Electronic monitoring is a tool of the court, and these protocols help ensure violations are addressed promptly, transparently and consistent with judicial authority.” […]

The Office of the Chief Judge took over management of pretrial electronic monitoring last year after the Cook County Sheriff’s Office ended its decades-old program.

Beach made it a priority to revise the EM system after he was sworn in last December, launching a new committee dedicated to reviewing and strengthening the ways alleged violations are communicated, evaluated and acted upon.

* From the Court’s news release…

Efforts have been implemented to ensure that major violations are promptly identified and communicated to the assigned judge, the State’s Attorney’s Office and defense counsel.

The Court has also revised the threshold used to classify a major violation. During the week, an absence of three hours or more will now be considered a major violation and returned to court within 24 hours. This represents a change from the prior threshold, which classified a major violation as 48 hours of unauthorized absence. The Court is continuing to assess the volume of three-hour-plus absences that occur on weekends and is working to gather additional data. That information will be shared with justice partners so a systemwide discussion can occur regarding the resources needed across all agencies to facilitate a 24-hour weekend response to these violations.

Absences of less than three hours will continue to be identified and addressed by the Pretrial Services Department, including returning the case to court when warranted.

Judges retain discretion to issue warrants in response to EM violations. When a warrant is issued on a major violation, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office has agreed to expedite service, and the Clerk of the Circuit Court has agreed to ensure these matters are placed on the court call within 24 hours, consistent with judicial direction.

* More…

* CWB Chicago | Judges will now review ‘major’ electronic monitoring violations within 24 hours, chief judge says: The announcement comes less than two months after Lawrence Reed allegedly set a woman on fire aboard a Blue Line train in the Loop while on electronic monitoring under Beach’s predecessor, Timothy Evans. CWBChicago’s reporting revealed that the court-run monitoring center received multiple alerts about Reed’s violations in the days before the November 17 attack, but the office failed to take any action that could have led to his apprehension.

* CBS Chicago | Cook County Chief Judge announces changes to electronic monitoring program: It’s not clear if Reed had been in violation of his electronic monitoring rules for three hours or more at the time of the attack. The chief judge’s office responded to a request for clarification on that detail in Reed’s case and said are looking into it.

* Sun-Times | Chief judge reforming electronic monitoring program: Among those critics was Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke, who last year instructed her lawyers to object to any use of electronic monitoring, saying it was “a serious threat to public safety.” […] In a statement Wednesday, her office said: “State’s Attorney Burke welcomes all improvements to the electronic monitoring system and looks forward to continuing to collaborate with Chief Judge Beach and all those seeking ways to improve public safety.”