News and Awards
Since we launched in 2015, our reporting has shifted policy and legislation, prompted investigations, sparked town halls and community conversations, helped increase voter participation in judicial elections, led to people in power resigning or being fired, and resulted in the resentencing and release of people who were wrongfully convicted.
Happening at Injustice Watch
Awards
Our team and our reporting on the Cook County court system have been recognized with many local and national awards. We’re grateful to our peers and our community for this recognition. The awards below are listed by the year the work was published.
Jump to a year: 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | Other awards
2025
- Sidney Award, September 2025 (winner)
2024
- IRE Awards, Print/Online — Division I (winner)
- “A compelling read with lots of strong anecdotes and heavy data analysis, the reporters’ work led to reform in Cook County.”
- Nonprofit News Awards, Community Champion Award — medium division (winner)
- “This series is a case study in thoughtful community outreach and tireless reporting with the goal of solving real problems in people’s lives,” a judge said. “The reporters who contributed to this project were able to identify a critical challenge facing residents of Cook County, and they produced an impressive package of investigations and explainers that provide their neighbors with vital information and led to meaningful change for local tenants. ‘Community Champion’ is the perfect title for these journalists.”
- Nonprofit News Awards, Best Investigative Reporting — medium division (finalist)
- Chicago Journalism Awards, Best Investigative Reporting (winner)
- “‘Rising rents’ left us shocked and angry. We enjoyed Alejandra Cancino & Maya Dukmasova’s data- and interview-driven reporting that will no doubt change how millions of people live and pay rent in the Chicago area. We particularly enjoyed the anecdotes from the renters and the finding that many landlords filed eviction notices even while wearing the “slumlord” title. Their work interviewing more than 100 people and review of years of data paid off.”
- Lisagor Awards, Best Feature or Human Interest Story — all media (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards, Best investigative reporting — small or medium print/online (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards, Best Investigative Reporting — all media (winner)
- Chicago Journalism Awards, Public service award (finalist)
- Nonprofit News Awards, Community Champion Award — medium division (finalist)
- Chicago Journalism Awards, breaking news (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards, Best political and government reporting — small or medium print/online (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards, Best investigative reporting — small or medium print/online (finalist)
2023
- Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Awards, large newsroom (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards, Best feature reporting — large newsroom (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards, Best reporting on crime and justice (finalist)
- Chicago Journalism Awards, Best series (finalist)
- Illinois Press Association Awards, Best investigative/enterprise story (winner)
- Lisagor Awards, Best investigative reporting — small newsroom (winner)
- Lisagor Awards, Best feature series — small newsroom (winner)
- Lisagor Awards, Best investigative reporting — all media (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards, Best political reporting (finalist)
- Nonprofit News Awards, Best investigative journalism — medium (winner)
- David Jackson’s reporting is “compulsively readable and built on meticulous and eye-opening reporting,” one judge wrote. Another said the work “represents the highest calling of investigative journalism.”
- Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Awards, small newsroom (finalist)
2022
- Nonprofit News Awards, Breaking Barriers Award (winner)
- Judges’ comments: This is “what all journalists in this country should strive for. When people say journalism is dying, this example of journalism is what all should look for to save it and do better.”
- Lisagor Awards, Best feature or human interest series — All media (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards, Best reporting on race and diversity — small print/online (winner)
- Online Journalism Awards, Race, ethnicity and identity — small newsroom (finalist)
- Chicago Journalism Awards, Best investigative reporting (winner)
- “Few pieces of journalism have as decisive and comprehensive impact in righting a wrong as Carlos Ballesteros’ exposure of Chicago police and state Department of Children and Families’ illegal denial of special visa certifications for undocumented crime and abuse victims. His tenacity and creativity in overcoming roadblocks in access to government information are a model for investigative reporters.”
- IZZY Award for Independent Media (winner)
- Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Awards, Small newsroom (finalist)
- Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Awards, Small newsroom (finalist)
2021
- Lisagor Awards, Best data journalism — all media (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards, Best reporting on race and diversity — specialty/trade publications (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards, Best non-deadline story — online (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards, Best reporting on race and diversity — online (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards, Best reporting on race and diversity — online (finalist)
2020
- Online Journalism Awards, Gather Award in Community-Centered Journalism — Micro/small newsroom (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards, Best data journalism — all media (winner)
- Lisagor Awards, Best investigative/public service reporting — online (winner)
- Lisagor Awards, Best series – non-deadline reporting — online (winner)
2019
- Ancil Payne Award for Ethics in Journalism (winner)
- National Headliner Awards, Online investigative reporting (winner)
- Online Journalism Awards, Knight Award for Public Service (finalist)
Other awards
Illustration awards
- Lisagor Awards (2023), Best illustration or graphics, Verónica Martinez (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards (2022), Best illustration or graphics, Verónica Martinez (finalist)
- Lisagor Awards (2021), Best online illustration, Verónica Martinez (finalist)
Individual awards
- Studs Terkel Community Media Awards (2023): Carlos Ballesteros (winner)
- Chicago Journalism Awards, Dorothy Storck Award (2023): Maya Dukmasova (second place)
- Judges’ comments: “Maya’s exposé into the high number of reversals of decisions made by a Cook County criminal judge exemplifies the value of local watchdog reporting. Told partially through the lens of those at the receiving end of some of the reversed decisions, Maya lays out evidence of some of the judge’s dubious decisions — information without which no voter should go to the polls.”
- Studs Terkel Community Media Awards (2022): Maya Dukmasova (winner)