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.
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More than 100 students in seven years have signed “gang contracts” for a suspected gang affiliation.
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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.
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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.
City watchdog: Juvenile diversion program has failed to meet goals
The city has operated the Juvenile Intervention and Support Center “for almost fourteen years without demonstrating evidence of its effectiveness,” according to the Inspector General
After courts order new sentence, Cook County prisoner given 39 years for murder committed as youth
An Illinois man originally sentenced to serve 100 years in prison for a murder he committed at age 16 was re-sentenced Monday to 39 years by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Kenneth J. Wadas.
Illinois Supreme Court rules that 41-year term for juvenile offender amounts to life
The Illinois Supreme Court unanimously ruled in a landmark decision Thursday that a 41-year sentence for a juvenile offender constitutes the equivalent of a life term.The decision triggers sentencing protections for juvenile offenders who are sentenced to more than 40 years in prison.
Illinois high court hears defense, prosecutor debate 50-year sentence for youth
The Illinois Supreme Court justices have the chance to decide how long is too long in sentencing juvenile offenders to prison without any hope of parole. At issue is a 50-year sentence imposed by a Cook County judge in a murder committed by a 16-year old.
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