Reducing Jail Overcrowding in Cook County

The Cook County jail is nearly full again, jumping two seasons ahead of its usual autumn peak. On March 2nd, the Chicago Tribune reported on one reasonable means to reduce the jail population safely and cost-effectively--by tracking defendants on GPS monitors while they await trial. And there are ma...
March 18, 2013

“Services Not Jail”

In a recent column, Rev. Alexander Sharp, who is Executive Director Emeritus for Protestants for the Common Good, calls for a "New Paradigm" for drug policy. The paradigm prioritizes treating the underlying cause of crime--e.g., poverty, homelessness, addiction, or abuse--over jailing the individual...
November 27, 2012

Does Race or Gender Influence Professional Judgement?

Cross-posted at Huffington Post. Does race or gender influence decision-making among members of the most respected professions? Several recent, high-profile studies conclude that, yes, even scientists, doctors, and judges are vulnerable to such unconscious bias. In a recent, widely discussed study...
October 29, 2012

At 2012 Annual Meeting, Honorees Call for Criminal Justice Reform, Diversion

Speaking to over two hundred fifty lawyers hailing from across the city and legal disciplines this Wednesday, Assistant State's Attorney Kim Foxx contrasted the juvenile justice system with the adult criminal justice system. ASA Foxx, a ten-year veteran of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office...
October 5, 2012