Amid a series of resignations at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Board Chair Toni Preckwinkle told reporters she was not worried despite criticism leveled at the against the institution.

Questions have arisen as the county has seen nearly a third of its prosecutors and staff resign in the past 12 months, officials say.

State’s Attorney Kim Foxx – like others calling for reform across the country – is facing backlash from those who say the office isn’t tough enough on crime.

Foxx’s spokeswoman points to COVID and the so-called “Big Resignation” as among the driving forces behind the high turnover rate.

However, other nearby counties are not experiencing the same turmoil, and for families of crime victims, waiting to see a case prosecuted has been a frustrating process.

“We’ve seen five or six different state attorneys, they keep changing,” says Pat Peterman.

Her son, Michael Peterman, was shot in Chicago five years ago. A suspect has been arrested and is being held in the Cook County Jail, but Peterman’s family is still awaiting trial.

Her mother blames Kim Foxx’s leadership.

“She’s the person in charge, so yeah, she’s in charge of everyone under you,” she says.

Dan Kirk, former first assistant to State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, helped NBC 5 resolve the situation, pointing out that the bureau lost more than 240 employees last year.

For example, the Felony Review Unit has six teams and each team should have eight to 12 members, and currently there are less than five.

“It’s historic, and not in a good way,” he says. “The Cook County Public Defender’s Office did not see this massive attrition, this massive bleeding. Not only has the Dupage County State’s Attorney’s Office not seen attrition, but it has actually grown in size.

Preckwinkle, who recruited Foxx to run for state’s attorney, said “no” when asked if she was concerned enough to tell Foxx about the high turnover.

Foxx has championed criminal justice reform. One of the cornerstones of this reform, cashless bail, will be implemented in January, but lawmakers could make last-minute changes for serious offences.

Other progressive prosecutors across the country have faced backlash for similar policies. In San Francisco, the lead prosecutor was recently recalled, and in Baltimore, the prosecutor faces a new federal indictment for mortgage fraud.

A Republican lawmaker in Illinois has introduced a bill to recall Foxx, but most believe he is unlikely to go ahead.

Politics aside, families seeking justice simply want the system to work as intended and staffing issues resolved so it can be done more efficiently.

“We just want to want closure… well not closure, there’s no closure when you lose a child that way,” Peterman says. “We just want justice.”