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.
Explore the project
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.
Project Contributors
Reporting by Maya Dukmasova
Editing by David Kidwell
Page design by Maggie Sivit
Illustrations by Veronica Martinez