2026 Retention
November 2026 Cook County judicial election guide
What are Cook County judicial retention elections?
Recent Reporting
Featured Project
Prosecutors in Cook County — the nation’s leader in known wrongful convictions — have vowed to address the wrongs of the past. But Injustice Watch found prosecutors across multiple administrations have brushed aside compelling innocence claims, failed to investigate police abuse allegations, and compounded the suffering of wrongfully convicted people.
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Shadow Prosecutors
Illinois’ Special Prosecution Unit has been responsible for dozens of questionable cases, while acting outside of public view and with little oversight.
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.
Dying on Dart’s Watch
Eighteen people died at the jail in 2023, and half of the deaths featured examples of inadequate supervision and medical care.
Examining issues of equity and justice in the court system
Our in-depth investigative reporting holds power to account.
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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.