Time to Reconvene the Supreme Court Task Force on Court Costs, Fines, and Fees

In 2016, the Illinois Supreme Court’s Statutory Court Fee Task Force released a report finding that the state’s “byzantine system” of court costs, fines, and fees varied wildly by county and disproportionately impacted low-income Illinois residents. These findings pushed forward legislation – the Cr...
November 23, 2020

As the Pandemic Rages, the Cook County Jail Population Grows

As we embark on the ‘third-wave’ of the pandemic in the United States, we have tragically learned many things. First and importantly, we have learned that the best and only truly effective way to prevent the spread of this airborne virus is by physically distancing ourselves from others. We have als...
November 20, 2020

Testimony: Budget for Black Lives

The only way to reduce harm for Cook County's Black and Brown communities is by investing in resources and programs that help people thrive. Even with budget crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic, these investments are possible if Cook County commits to making significant divestments from Cook Cou...
October 29, 2020