Criminal Justice

The “Clean Slate” Act, which could have sealed thousands and potentially millions of nonviolent criminal records in Illinois, had bipartisan support but failed to pass in the final flurry of legislative action this spring, the sponsor says.

Experimental musician Matthew Ryals' tour dates lined up with a first-of-its-kind Wellness Weekend using arts and humanities to examine the criminal justice system. The result is a "happy accident" melding musical styles at Illinois Art Station on Sunday.

Experts on intimate partner violence and restorative justice spoke to Bloomington's Special Commission for Safe Communities at its October meeting.

Alan Beaman and his longtime lawyer, Jeffrey Urdangen, told the story of Beaman's wrongful conviction in McLean County, his prison time and release, and answered questions from the audience at an event co-sponsored by WGLT.

The Illinois Prison Project panel of three featured women sharing their stories of resilience and dealing with a system lacking in support both inside prison and for reentry.

Retired Chief Circuit Judge Beth Robb knew she wanted to be a lawyer as early as Junior High School in Macomb. It wasn't easy. She went to Illinois Wesleyan University and on to law school, then came back to Bloomington-Normal and couldn’t get a job

The Peace for Preston Foundation's goals include a future community center and community engagement events on Chicago's South Side, where police officer Aréanah Preston was shot and killed on May 6, 2023.

Off-duty Chicago Police Officer Areanah Preston was shot and killed near her home in the early morning hours of May 6 in an apparent robbery. Preston was a 2020 graduate of ISU and was dedicated to building trust between law enforcement and disinvested communities.

In 2016, a man incarcerated at an Illinois prison signed a living will, stating he was of sound mind and did not want certain medical interventions to extend his life. But there was a problem. When he signed the do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order, he had a diagnosis of dementia and his signature was disorganized and illegible.

Lawmakers on Thursday passed a long-awaited amendment to the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform’s provisions that will eliminate cash bail when the calendar hits 2023.