A downstate Illinois defendant was acquitted of charges, but the county charged him more than $40,000 in administering his bond and pretrial detention. An Illinois appeals court last month upheld the fee, to chagrin of bond reform advocates.
News
Chicago police gang database is error-prone, discriminatory, lawsuit says
|
A group of four residents and six community groups took the City to court on Tuesday, contending that the Chicago police department gang database includes residents simply based on their race or neighborhood. And the results are steep, the lawsuit says, impacting police stops, immigration relief, and bail consideration.
Less than Life
U.S. Appeals Court hears arguments on youth sentence of 51 years before parole
|
Was Cyntoia Brown, convicted of murder at age 16 and given a sentence that would make her eligible for release at age 67, given an unconstitutional life sentence?
Less than Life
Illinois high court to consider how much time is too much for youth crime
|
The Illinois Supreme Court will consider whether a sentence of 50 years without parole for a 16-year-old violates the state and federal constitutions. Courts nationwide and in Illinois have struggled with where to draw the line for crimes committed by juveniles.
News
Stalled Stateville prison debate class members demand program’s return
|
Supporters of the debate class at the Stateville Correctional Center, a program correction department officials abruptly suspended last month, delivered a letter Wednesday to Governor Bruce Rauner’s office demanding the program’s reinstatement and an executive order granting legislators access to prison facilities.
News
After prisoners debate parole before Illinois lawmakers, state halts class
|
Last month, Illinois Department of Corrections officials abruptly suspended a popular debate class for inmates at Stateville Correctional Center that had brought in an audience legislators and state officials. Corrections officials offered no explanation of the decision to Injustice Watch.
News
Brocton Lockwood, judge and mole in Cook County corruption case, dies
|
The retired judge from Southern Illinois wore a wire in Chicago in the 1970s and 1980s to aid Operation Greylord, a federal investigation into Cook County’s judicial corruption.
News
Five who lost Cook County judicial primary earn new path to bench
|
The 16 new Cook County associate judges announced by the state court system on Monday include five who had lost primary elections at the polling place in March. But a vote by the county’s circuit judges has rewarded them with seats on the bench in any event.
News
Illinois Supreme Court hears argument to extend juvenile protections to age 18
|
The Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday on the legality of imposing a lengthy mandatory sentence with no hope of parole for crimes committed by a 18-year-old Darien Harris.
Longreads
Little hope of release for more than 160 Illinois juvenile offenders
|
Across the country, juvenile offenders are being released from prison based on recognition they are not as mature as adults. In Illinois, many who commit crimes as teenagers are still likely destined to die in custody.
News
After criticism, Ill. state rep drops bill limiting access to police records
|
The sponsor of an Illinois House of Representatives bill that would have drastically cut public access to police records—including in cases of officer misconduct—killed the bill Thursday after searing opposition from civil rights and open government advocates, including the ACLU and the state attorney general’s office. The bill was prompted by a request from the city of Chicago Heights.