Juvenile Justice
A series of state and U.S. Supreme Court decisions have changed the way people accused of committing crimes as youths are treated by the court system. We explore the shifting legal landscape for juvenile offenders.
Featured Story
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.
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Illinois lawmakers demand probe of Chicago center for troubled youth
Your child was arrested in Chicago. What happens next?
5 takeaways from our investigation into youth justice in Chicago
Featured Project
More than 160 juvenile offenders in Illinois were serving de facto life sentences in 2019, despite recent court decisions limiting life sentences for youths. Following this project, the Illinois Supreme Court issued a landmark decision that opened resentencing possibilities for many juveniles serving lengthy prison terms of more than 40 years.
More Juvenile Justice
‘Gang contracts’ in Cicero and Berwyn schools raise concerns about criminalization of youth
More than 100 students in seven years have signed “gang contracts” for a suspected gang affiliation.
Chicago man’s 39-year sentence for murder committed as teen cut to 25 years
The Illinois Appellate Court, in a rare step, amended a 16-year-old offender’s sentence finding that Cook County Circuit Judge Kenneth J. Wadas had not properly considered the teen’s youth at the time of the incident.
Judge cuts sentence in half for Chicago man charged with murder at 16
Dimitri Buffer was eligible for resentencing after the Illinois Supreme Court ruled in his case last year that a 41-year sentence is equivalent to life for a juvenile.
Top juvenile court judge still blocking motions despite new emergency order
Presiding Judge Michael Toomin continues to vet and reject detention review motions from juveniles, despite an order from the chief judge that all detention reviews be heard.
Judge blocks key legal protection for detained youth
Presiding Judge Michael Toomin has said youth detention reviews cannot be filed if they mention a law that juveniles cannot be held more than 30 days pre-trial. Chief Judge Timothy Evans is clarifying his order to say they can.
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