A recent report by the Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts analyzed policy changes during the first 500 days under Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke. It revealed that prison sentences for retail theft more than doubled last year. The report accused Burke of reverting to a ‘tough-on-crime’ approach, a strategy believed to have weakened Cook County communities for years. This change in direction followed her predecessor Kim Foxx’s more progressive policies.
The report, made public on Wednesday, urged Burke to reconsider her recent policy decisions. It also made recommendations directed at the Illinois General Assembly, one of which included raising the legal threshold for charging retail theft as a felony. Austin Segal, director of research at Appleseed and report co-author, highlighted that many retail thefts result from individuals lacking the means to purchase essential goods.
Burke’s focus has shifted more toward stringent crime policies compared to Foxx, and this shift has not gone unnoticed. Several progressive groups continue to show displeasure with her stance on criminal justice reform. Despite this, Burke’s office released a statement expressing its dedication to public safety, focusing efforts on areas like removing dangerous weapons, supporting crime victims, addressing domestic violence, and curbing transit crimes. The office mentioned openness to discuss the report with Appleseed.
Titled ‘500 Days Forward, 10 Years Back,’ the Appleseed report evaluated the impact of Burke’s new policies based on press releases, news reports, and data acquired through public records. It followed previous analyses of former State’s Attorney Foxx’s administration. Burke’s administration has notably targeted cases of retail theft, gun possession, and domestic violence, sometimes assigning higher charges and stricter pretrial conditions than before.
Burke has defended her office’s policies, especially focusing on gun-related crimes. According to Yvette Loizon, chief of policy at the state’s attorney’s office, addressing gun violence remains the main concern. Detention policies and jail population changes accompany these policy shifts, including a program allowing police to file certain gun charges directly. There was also a protocol change concerning referrals to restorative justice courts, which was later reversed.
Burke rolled back a Foxx-era policy that avoided felony charges for retail theft under $1,000 value, aligning with the Illinois state law setting the threshold at $300. In 2025, 36% of retail theft cases resulted in felony charges compared to 18% in previous years. Prison sentences for these cases rose to 7% in 2025, up from 3% in Foxx’s last year of service, although this statistic is a minor portion of all cases.
The report suggested the Illinois General Assembly increase the felony threshold for retail theft charges. At $300, Illinois’s threshold is among the lowest in the nation. This threshold was previously raised from $150 to $300 in 2011, and a 2019 legislative attempt aimed to increase it to $2,000. The report emphasized that imprisoning individuals for retail theft, often a poverty-driven crime, worsens societal issues and harms family stability.