In the days after the horrific burning of a woman on a CTA train allegedly by a clearly deranged habitual criminal suspect last month, some in the news media immediately focused on their go-to issue: The Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today , or SAFE-T Act.

“Illinois leaders blast SAFE-T Act after repeat offender charged with lighting woman on fire on CTA Blue Line,” reported WGN-TV, as just one example. Former Cook County and federal prosecutor Bob Milan told the station: “The SAFE-T Act forces state’s attorneys to file petitions instead of just giving judges the discretion [to detain arrested suspects]”

Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey also demanded that judges be given “100 percent discretion” to detain anyone they viewed as a danger to society. Several other sheriffs

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