The whistleblowers vs. the shadow prosecutors
RECENT REPORTING
Illinois promised to protect immigrants. Local officials helped deport them anyway.
The county prosecutors who became ICE informants
What is a special prosecutor and how are they appointed?
Judicial Elections
Injustice Watch’s judicial election guide for the Nov. 3, 2026 general election will be out in late September.
In Cook County, 60 circuit judges and one appellate judge will be running to retain their seats on the bench.
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Featured Project
When local prosecutors might have political or personal ties to a defendant, the state brings in an elite squad of government attorneys: the Illinois Special Prosecution Unit. The unit has been clouded by allegations of corruption, misconduct, and conflicts of interest.
‘The wrong side of justice’
READ MORE: What is a special prosecutors and how are they appointed? →
More Projects
Judicial Elections
Injustice Watch provides comprehensive, nonpartisan voter guides for Cook County judicial elections.
Denying Innocence
In the nation’s capital of wrongful convictions, Cook County prosecutors have often failed to address the wrongs of the past.
Forensic Failures
A scandal at a University of Illinois Chicago forensics lab reveals a crisis of oversight in the state’s crime labs.
Taken by Taxes
Injustice Watch and the Investigative Project on Race and Equity found thousands of Cook County homes have been taken through property tax foreclosure.
Examining issues of equity and justice in the court system
Our in-depth investigative reporting holds power to account.
Learn more →
Editor’s Pick
Cook County prosecutors are asking judges to issue warrants for people who were no-shows in traffic court — because they had already been deported.