Criminal Justice Archives - Page 32 of 49 - Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts

California Votes to Downgrade Drug Crimes: Is Illinois Next?

On November 4, 2014, voters in California changed yesterday’s felony drug possession into today’s misdemeanor. Voters passed a significant ballot measure, Proposition 47, a criminal reform initiative to dramatically reduce the punishment for a variety of crimes. The passage of Proposition 47 made C...

Letter to the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin

If you are a subscriber to the Daily Law Bulletin, you have probably seen our letter in the Lawyer's Forum concerning the Cook County Bond Court. We have reprinted it below for nonsubscribers. A wishlist for forthcoming bond court plan By Ali Abid and Malcolm Rich Ali Abid is a staff attorney and M...

Emanuel’s Push To Decriminalize Marijuana Possession and Downgrade Possession of Other Substances Is Great For Diverting Drug Addicts, Saving Taxpayer Resources

On Tuesday, September 23rd, Mayor Rahm Emanuel plans to call on state lawmakers to decriminalize marijuana possession statewide and to reduce the penalty to a misdemeanor for those caught with 1 gram or less of any controlled substance. "It is time to put our sentencing policies in line with our v...

The Coming Fees Crisis: Poverty Capitalism in the Courts

This past week, two important pieces have appeared on NPR and the New York Times bringing attention to the increased practice of levying exploitive fines and fees on indigent people passing through the criminal and civil justice system. The first piece from NPR, based on a report of a S...

Guest Blog: Review of ‘The Interrupters’

by Jonathan Leithold-Patt, film critic There is too much violence in Chicago. It is a fact impossible to ignore. Turning on the nightly news or opening up the newspaper is a guaranteed reminder of the senseless deaths that could have, and should have, been prevented. Although there are less homicid...

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