Kelly Garcia, Author at Injustice Watch

Kelly Garcia

Kelly Garcia reports on youths, prisons, and the court system. Before joining Injustice Watch in 2022, Kelly was a staff writer at the Chicago Reader, where she wrote about news and politics on the Southwest Side. In 2022, the Chicago Journalists Association named her Emerging Journalist of the Year for her reporting on the private music festivals occupying Douglass Park. She was born in Miami and raised in Orlando before moving to Chicago for college. She now lives on the Lower West Side.

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

Illustration of a youth sitting on the ground up against a wall with his head in his hands, as a guard at the Cook County juvenile jail looks on.

Youth Incarceration

Teens at Cook County juvenile jail face excessive force, extreme isolation, and other civil rights abuses, watchdog finds

Interviews, site visits, and records reviewed by a legal advocacy group reveal abusive behavior by staff against mostly Black teens with learning disabilities, according to a new report. Jail officials deny the claims.

by Carlos Ballesteros and Kelly Garcia March 17, 2023January 31, 2024

A judge looks down from the bench and winks at a woman, who is turned away from him.

Judicial Conduct

El juez del condado de Cook, Raúl Vega, se jubila bajo una nube de acusaciones

Vega, ex juez superior de la corte de violencia doméstica del condado de Cook, se jubilará con una pensión vitalicia, a pesar de las acusaciones de maltrato de las mujeres en su sala de tribunal.

by Kelly Garcia January 31, 2022January 26, 2024

Judicial Conduct

Cook County Judge Raúl Vega is retiring under a cloud of allegations

The former top judge of Cook County’s domestic violence court, Vega will retire with a lifetime pension, despite accusations from women in his courtroom that he mistreated them.

by Kelly Garcia January 27, 2022March 19, 2024

2022 Primary

Chicago alderperson eyes a seat on the bench in 2022 election

West Side Ald. Chris Taliaferro, a former police sergeant, wants a seat on the 11th judicial subcircuit, which covers parts of Chicago’s West Side and nearby suburbs.

by Kelly Garcia and Amy Qin August 23, 2021January 26, 2024

Domestic Violence

Cook County domestic violence court continues video proceedings under chief judge’s order

Advocates have raised concerns about courtroom accessibility and how survivors are treated in the domestic violence division.

by Kelly Garcia August 13, 2021January 26, 2024

Domestic Violence

Chicago advocates press chief judge on domestic violence court access, treatment of survivors

Survivors of gender-based violence face barriers to court access that have worsened amid the Covid-19 pandemic, advocates and attorneys say. Chief Judge Tim Evans has pledged to enact changes in response to the criticism.

by Grace Asiegbu and Kelly Garcia August 5, 2021January 26, 2024

Police

More than 30 Chicago high schools will pursue alternatives to police

Maira Khwaja, one of the community representatives on Hyde Park Academy’s council, said the vote to remove one of the police officers at her school represented “a huge win for the movement to remove police from schools and support our students in more holistic ways.”

by Kelly Garcia July 21, 2021February 5, 2024

Youth Incarceration

Illinois bill would expand civics and voter education to incarcerated youths in state custody

A bill expanding voting access and civics education curriculum to incarcerated youths passed unanimously through the Illinois General Assembly thanks to voting rights advocates.

by Kelly Garcia May 25, 2021January 26, 2024

Youth Incarceration

3 takeaways from the state’s investigation into special ed at Chicago’s juvenile jail

A state investigation sheds light on the conditions for special education students in the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center during the Covid-19 pandemic.

by Kelly Garcia May 1, 2021January 31, 2024

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