Forensic Failures
Between 2016 and 2024, a forensic toxicology lab at the University of Illinois Chicago tested people’s bodily fluids for DUI-cannabis investigations using scientifically discredited methods and faulty machinery, leading to wrongful convictions. Illinois has no oversight mechanism to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
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How a rogue Chicago forensics lab got people convicted for driving high
A scandal at a University of Illinois Chicago forensics lab reveals a crisis of oversight in the state’s crime labs.
More reporting
State forensic science commission blasts UIC over rogue crime lab
The Illinois Forensic Science Commission called on the university to conduct a proper audit of its lab, which has been responsible for nearly two dozen wrongful DUI convictions.
Project Contributors
Reporting by Maya Dukmasova
Editing by David Kidwell
Page design by Maggie Sivit
Illustrations by Verónica Martinez