Illinois Justice Project News Summary

Jan. 21 -- 27, 2020

CHICAGO POLICE
Chicago Sun-Times: "Police and fire overtime continue to surge in Chicago" . . . "Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she was 'angry and frustrated' and planned to hold then Police Supt. Eddie Johnson accountable for reining in an abuse that beleaguered taxpayers 'can’t afford.' The message apparently fell on deaf ears."

Chicago Sun-Times: "Civilian police review will finally pass City Council in February or March, alderman says"

WBEZ, Chicago Public Radio: "Chicago Prostitution Enforcement Focuses On Women Selling Sex, Not Buyers Or Traffickers"

WTTW, Chicago Tonight: "Report: Chicago Police Prioritize Arrests of Sex Sellers Over Buyers, Traffickers"


CHICAGO POLICE - STRATEGIC SUBJECT LIST
Chicago Tribune: "For years Chicago police rated the risk of tens of thousands being caught up in violence. That controversial effort has quietly been ended." . . . "In quietly dumping the program in November, the department acknowledged that the data-scraping effort hadn’t reduced violence, citing a national study released last year that found the SSL ineffective."

Chicago Sun-Times: "CPD decommissions ‘Strategic Subject List’" . . . "After 10 years, the Chicago Police Department has decommissioned an enormous database that, ostensibly, used analytics in an effort to predict which people are most likely to be involved in shootings — as either the shooter or the victim."

ACLU of Illinois statement: "ACLU of Illinois reacts to Inspector General's advisory to CPD on secret predictive policing practices"

Associated Press: "Chicago police end effort to predict gun offenders, victims"

Office of the Inspector General, City of Chicago: "OIG releases advisory on the Chicago Police Department's predictive risk models"


CHICAGO POLICE - LAWSUITS, SETTLEMENTS AND SUSPENSIONS
Chicago Sun-Times: "Chicago police seek public’s input on slew of proposed policy reforms" . . . "The meetings are a requirement of a federal consent decree that seeks wide-ranging reforms to the police department as part a scathing review by the U.S. Department of Justice following the 2014 murder of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald by Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke."

WBEZ by Patrick Smith: "From ‘Hot Mess’ To ‘Priceless’: CPD Triples Field Trainers In Overhaul Of Crucial Program" . . . "During its investigation into CPD, the U.S. Justice Department heard from high-ranking Chicago Police Department officials who told them that the field training program was 'terrible' and a 'hot mess.' In its 2017 report, the Department of Justice warned that the “poorly structured” field training program 'actively undermines … constitutional policing.'"

Chicago Sun-Times: "Chicago’s Smart911 system off to a painfully slow start"


CHICAGO POLICE - FORMER SUPT. JOHNSON
WMAQ-TV, NBC5: "Lightfoot Staff’s Emails Give Glimpse at 26 Hours Leading Up to Johnson Firing"


CANNABIS
WBEZ, Chicago Public Radio: "CHA Cannabis Policy Now Protects Residents From Eviction"

The DePaulia: "State’s Attorney Kim Foxx talks expungement after Illinois cannabis bill"


COURTS
Chicago Sun-Times: "Justice delayed: It took two years to overturn his gun conviction. He’s still in prison a year later." . . . "The glacial pace of deciding appeals in Cook County criminal cases means some finish their prison terms, only to win an acquittal after they’re already free."

The Marshall Project: "Transgender people challenge bans on name changes after convictions"

Chicago Daily Law Bulletin: "Illinois Supreme Court: Gun ownership is a civil right" . . . "The justices’ unanimous decision represents one solution to the complex issues presented by the state’s Firearm Owner’s Identification Card Act, which incorporates federal gun laws. The court avoided addressing the constitutional questions."

Chicago Daily Law Bulletin: "Negligence count gets tossed against city; tort statute cited" . . . "A federal judge ruled Chicago police are immune from common law negligence charges in a suit that alleged two officers entered the wrong home to search for a suspect."

Injustice Watch: "Two Chicago residents sue disgraced former police over false arrests"


PRITZKER-STRATTON CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AGENDA
Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette editorial: "Criminal justice next for governor" . . . "Gov. J.B. Pritzker has announced that he’s backing an ambitious criminal-justice reform package he wants the General Assembly to pass this year. The public will just have to take his word on that, because he’s publicly embraced only generalities while leaving the specifics for later."


CASH BAIL
Hyde Park Herald: "Legislative priority will be abolishing bail, Sen. Peters says"

WBBM NewsRadio by Craig Dellimore: "Gov. Pritzker Urged To Reform Cash Bond System -- Carefully"

WCIA-TV, Champaign-Urbana, by Cole Henke: "Activist group wants to end money bond" . . . "The Coalition to End Money Bond released a report Wednesday to educate lawmakers on the issue. The group says they believe having to pay a bond to get out of jail before your court date is an unfair financial burden and only serves to keep low-income people in custody for longer."


ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Associated Press: "Documents: Prison official misled probe about missing keys" . . . "The Illinois Department of Corrections refused to say Monday whether Forrest Ashby, then paid $86,400 annually as the acting assistant warden for operations at Western Illinois Correctional Center, faced discipline for the infraction which could have resulted in his firing."


REENTRY
Chicago Tribune column by Steve Chapman: "‘Ban the box’ laws, a helping hand for ex-offenders, are actually holding them back"


LEGISLATION
NPR Illinois: "Lawmakers, Prosecutors Want State Money For Alternative Justice Programs"


COOK COUNTY JTDC
Chicago Daily Law Bulletin: "Class certification denied in 'Empire' JTDC suit" . . . "Two juvenile detainees suing Cook County for placing them in lockdown to film the TV show 'Empire' will have to pursue their lawsuit alone for now after Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer denied them class status."

SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY

Aurora Beacon-News: "Registered sex offenders can stay at Wayside Cross a little longer after ruling again delayed"

Daily Herald: "Jan. 31 decision on whether sex offenders must move from halfway house near Aurora park"

AROUND THE STATE
WJBC, Bloomington-Normal: "Lawsuit filed against town of Normal, police officers surrounding stolen money"

WCBU, Bloomington and Peoria public radio: "New Resident Officer Moves Into East Bluff" . . . "Peoria native Jerry James Jr. spent the past four years as a patrol officer. James said his new position allows him to get to know people outside of a bad situation and remind community members that he’s human, just like them."

Coalition to End Money Bond: "New coalition report details vision for a just pretrial system in Illinois in response to Pritzker's commitment to ending money bond"

Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette: "After more than 50 years, Douglas County court reporter putting shorthand pen away

Rockford Register Star: "Rockford officials to host town hall meeting on public safety"

Decatur Herald & Review: "How Kate Kurtz spent 5 years pursuing justice for Macon County kids" . . . Kurtz, who has also prosecuted murder and just about every serious crime you can imagine, has specialized in nailing sex offenders in her five years as a Macon County assistant state’s attorney, and especially sex offenders against children, the members of our society she believes warrant extra special protection."

Shaw Media editorial, La Salle County: "Juvenile crime rate trending in a good direction" . . . "There is good reason to believe intervention programs and alternative sentencing methods launched in the last several years have had a positive effect, and we hope to see both the numbers go down and also an increased sense our communities are safer while our kids are healthier and pointed to brighter futures."

Chicago Sun-Times: "Lawmakers, advocates celebrate new statewide legal aid funding program" . . . "The “Access to Justice” program will fund community organizations that serve immigrants and working-class residents across the state."

Southern Illinoisan: "Southern Illinois churches weigh armed self-defense"

Patch, St. Charles: "Kane County Jail Therapy Dog Completes Training Program"