Cook County’s court reopening is drawing surprisingly positive reviews
When the right to a speedy trial resumed in October many predicted chaos and a rush of dropped cases, but that hasn’t happened.
Patrick Smith
Reporter, Criminal Justice
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64% of Illinois prison workers are now vaccinated as their union fights the mandate
The number of workers vaccinated against COVID-19 has shot up since Gov. JB Pritzker announced a vaccine requirement.
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Remembering those we lost to gun violence, through the people closest to them
More than 800 people were killed this year in Chicago, most due to gun violence. Families share the stories of how their loved ones lived.
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Chicagoans would be able to challenge their place in the infamous gang database in proposed police policy
The city is trying to reform its notorious gang database, but activists say a new policy still puts Black and brown people at risk.
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Judge suspends vaccine requirement for Chicago cops
The ruling Monday is a major victory for the police unions which sued the city over vaccine requirements.
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Anti-violence programs are working. But can they make a dent in Chicago’s gun violence?
The scale of investment in these efforts pales against the backdrop of the city’s most violent year in more than two decades, researchers say.
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An upcoming Chicago hearing could answer questions about what’s next in R. Kelly trial
R. Kelly is scheduled to appear via video in Chicago court Wednesday, weeks after being convicted in Brooklyn. The hearing could answer some lingering questions.
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Judge bars police union chief from telling Chicago cops not to comply with city vaccine mandate
It’s the latest twist in the fight between the city of Chicago and the main police over the vaccine mandate, which took effect Friday.
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A new program reaches out to the front line of anti-violence efforts in Chicago
Led by a Northwestern medical school professor, the two-year initiative aims to equip street outreach workers with “resilience” training.
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Independent monitor says Chicago Police staffing shortages are hurting reform efforts
According to the monitor’s fourth biannual report, 363 officers left the force in the first six months of 2021, more than all retirements in 2018.
