Use the tools to ensure victims' safety

Thousands of Illinoisans live in fear that someone they know may try to harm them. All told, more than 27,000 active orders of protection are on the books.

Problem is, about one-fifth of these court orders have not been served to those accused of abuse. If they violate an order for which they have not been notified, the offenders cannot be arrested, leaving their victims vulnerable to further attacks or harassment.

A new initiative by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office is aimed at closing this gap in the justice system and providing enforceable legal protection to more victims of domestic violence.

The effort, called Serve to Protect, deserves serious consideration from local law enforcement officials, who should view it as a resource for finding those who have dodged police or fallen through bureaucratic cracks.

In recent weeks, Madigan sent a list of each county's unserved protection orders to sheriff's departments, which by law have responsibility to see them through. Next week, state officials will begin contacting counties that have not yet responded -- about 85 percent of them, they report.

An analysis by the attorney general's office found that offenders do not get served for several reasons. Problems as simple as typos on forms or communication glitches have kept local departments from receiving information about offenders. Some unserved abusers, the study found, already are in the system on parole or in prison.

The numbers of unserved orders vary by county in the suburban area but are perilously high. Local police often are the first responders in domestic cases, and they need the ability to make arrests.

The state has made strides in Cook County, where an Order of Protection Enforcement Group, a coalition of county and state agencies, is chipping away at the 20 percent gap by targeting barriers to the process.

It is unrealistic to expect all offenders will be located. And orders of protection are not fail-safe, as the tragic story of an Arlington Heights woman reminds us. Last year, despite all Cindy Bischof could do to legally protect herself, she was gunned down by her ex-boyfriend after he violated an order.

But protection orders remain an important safety tool against abusers, and law officials continue to find ways to increase their effectiveness. In 2004 Illinois became one of only two states that allow officers to serve abusers during traffic stops, even if the order is outside their jurisdiction. Still, the "short form," as it's called, still isn't widely used, state officials say.

There is no question law departments have their hands full. Slim budgets are forcing police to do more with less and rethink priorities. But the resources are in place to tackle this dangerous gap.

It often takes courage for someone who has been harmed or threatened to obtain an order of protection. We urge local law enforcement to take all the steps possible to ensure their safety.