Dan Hinkel, Author at Injustice Watch

Dan Hinkel

Dan Hinkel reports on courts and the legal system. He joined Injustice Watch in 2023 after two decades covering criminal justice and other issues for the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois Answers Project, the Times of Northwest Indiana, and the Janesville Gazette. He also covered Kyle Rittenhouse’s 2021 criminal trial as a freelancer for the New York Times. He is a native of Janesville, Wis., who graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and he lives on Chicago’s Northwest Side.

Illustration of a man sitting at a table with a pile of documents. In the background there are two long shadows looming.

Denying Innocence

Cook County’s new prosecutor has weakened an already broken system for freeing the innocent

State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke’s Conviction Integrity Unit hasn’t exonerated anyone in her 10 months on the job, and she has done little to confront more than a dozen coercion allegations against a former Chicago police detective and his partners.

by Dan Hinkel September 30, 2025

An illustration of a person in silhouette behind a prison cell door.

Denying Innocence

Cook County’s conviction integrity unit repeatedly denied freedom to incarcerated people who were later cleared

Despite its celebrated record of exonerating more people than any comparable unit nationwide, an Injustice Watch investigation found 21 people who were denied relief by the group before flawed evidence later led to their exonerations.

by Dan Hinkel February 27, 2025September 29, 2025

2024 Retention

Three Cook County judges close to losing seats following scrutiny

As of Wednesday, one judge was under the vote threshold and two others were in peril, with tens of thousands of potential votes uncounted. All three were the subject of Injustice Watch investigations about their conduct.

by Dan Hinkel November 6, 2024December 19, 2024

2024 Retention

Judges aiming to keep seats in November include some with notable records

Despite tax debts, arrests, and residency questions, judges running for retention in Cook County have drawn little attention and run a quiet — at times evasive — campaign.

by Dan Hinkel October 8, 2024

A young Black man in a black hoodie sweatshirt walks down a hallway past a painting with musical notes and peace signs.

Juvenile Justice

5 takeaways from our investigation into youth justice in Chicago

We found Chicago’s $10 million Youth Intervention Pathways program has enrolled a small fraction of kids arrested and relied on nonprofit contractors with past controversies.

by Dan Hinkel and Kelly Garcia June 26, 2024June 26, 2024

Illustration of a progression of mugshots as a young person ages through the criminal justice system.

Juvenile Justice

For kids arrested in Chicago, the city has little to offer

While youth arrests are way down, Chicago has failed to fix its long-broken approach to providing support for kids who get arrested, lagging far behind mayoral promises and serving only a fraction of kids who might need help.

by Dan Hinkel and Kelly Garcia June 26, 2024July 23, 2024

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Joy Cunningham next to a large blue sign that reads "Support our Ward neighbor Joy Cunningham" and "46th Ward Proud"

2024 Primary

Democratic Party’s slate sweeps countywide judicial races

In a primary with historically low turnout, the most controversial candidates in subcircuits lost out to those with stronger reviews from fellow lawyers.

by Dan Hinkel March 20, 2024April 11, 2024

A prosecutor standing up and pointing her finger at a defendant sitting behind a table.

2024 Primary

High-ranking Cook County prosecutor jumps into race for judge

Risa Lanier, second-in-command to Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, has been central to the office’s heater cases and controversies. Now, she’s running in the 19th Subcircuit after failing to win Democratic Party support for a countywide bid.

by Dan Hinkel February 26, 2024February 26, 2024

2024 Primary, Judges, Judicial Elections, Projects

Cook County Democrats back Illinois Supreme Court Justice Cunningham and slate of judicial candidates for 2024

In a political ritual preceding every election cycle, those who want to be judges appear at a colorful meeting to vie for the support of Democratic power brokers. The slating event is often a strong indication of who will become a judge.

by Dan Hinkel and Alejandra Cancino August 15, 2023December 5, 2023

Public Defenders

Cook County’s former top public defender ‘misused confidential information,’ report says

The Cook County inspector general accused former public defender Amy Campanelli of inappropriately sharing data on her office’s youth clients to benefit a nonprofit organization where she later took a job.

by Dan Hinkel and Kelly Garcia July 17, 2023March 22, 2024

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