Criminal Justice

UPDATED: Criminal Justice Reform Package Will Head to Governor

By Raymon Troncoso & Capitol News Illinois • Jan 13, 2021

The Illinois Senate passed a criminal justice omnibus bill early Wednesday morning after a grueling 20 hours of politicking during Tuesday’s lame duck session. The House followed suit Wednesday morning, clearing the way for the bill to head to the governor.

The legislation is made up of several provisions that touch all facets of the criminal justice system.

Panel Discussion Tackles Mental Health And The Courts

By Steph Whiteside • Dec 7, 2020

A documentary screening and panel discussion put a spotlight on the challenges of mental illness and the criminal justice system.

Hosted by the Illinois Supreme Court Mental Health Task Force, the panel featured three mothers whose children had severe mental illness.

Tanya Brown spoke about the difficulty getting treatment for her son, Tyree Davis, who had schizo-affective disorder.

State Senate Committees Take on Prison Reform

By Raymon Troncoso & Capitol News Illinois & Report for America • Oct 14, 2020

The state Senate Criminal law Committee and Special Committee on Public Safety held a joint hearing Tuesday, calling on experts to provide evidence-based recommendations for enhancing public safety and making prisons more equitable and humane.

Illinois Has Promised to “Infuse Love” in Its Juvenile Justice System, but What Will Actually Change

By Duaa Eldeib & ProPublica • Aug 7, 2020

This story was originally published by ProPublica.
ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.

Last week, in announcing a plan to overhaul Illinois’ juvenile justice system, state officials repeatedly used a term not often heard in discussions about criminal justice: love.

Lawmakers, Prosecutors Want State Money For Alternative Justice Programs

By Mike Smith • Jan 24, 2020

Illinois lawmakers are considering whether the state should begin paying for deferred prosecution programs. They’re intended to give non-violent offenders a second chance.

Report: Illinois Justice Needs Age-Appropriate Approach

By Illinois News Connection • Jan 24, 2019

Illinoisans ages 18 to 25 are not children anymore, but many are not quite grown up either.

New research examines how the state can better help these emerging adults in the criminal justice system.

SIU-C Researcher Studies the "Ferguson Effect" on Police Officers

By Brad Palmer • Jan 16, 2019

A researcher at SIU-Carbondale is studying the impact of public scrutiny on police officers.

Tammy Kochel conducted surveys with the St. Louis County Police Department before the 2014 death of Michael Brown in Ferguson and then returned for interviews after the unrest.