Progress Through Partnership
E-Newsletter for members and friends of Chicago Appleseed
and the Chicago Council of Lawyers

29 March 2007

In this e-Newsletter:
Give Juvenile Offenders a Chance
 
CCL no wordsImagine that you are a judge who presides over criminal trials in Illinois. Today you are sentencing two teenagers. These are the facts of their cases. A fifteen- year-old boy agreed to watch for the police while a sixteen-year-old peer purchases illegal drugs from two men. Concerned for his friend’s safety, the fifteen- year-old gives a relative’s gun to the sixteen-year-old. The sixteen-year-old panics when a dispute arises and shoots and kills the two sellers. The boys have no prior criminal records. What sentences would you impose?

Under Illinois law, you would have no choice in the matter.

You would be required to sentence both to natural life without the possibility of parole. The fifteen-year-old was accountable for the two murders because he cooperated with the sixteen- year-old shooter in a felony drug deal, and the mandatory sentence for killing two people is natural life.

The criminal law has long recognized that youth and immaturity reduce a minor’s culpability and weigh against punishment that would otherwise be suitable for an adult. Recent scientific research into human brain development supports this tradition. As one researcher has put it, "The evidence now is strong that the brain does not cease to mature until the early 20s in those relevant parts that govern impulsivity, judgment, planning for the future, foresight of consequences, and other characteristics that make people morally culpable."

Even though this research validates our traditional views about the punishment of juveniles, legislation over the years that has toughened penal laws for adult offenders coupled with legislation that channels more juvenile offenders into the adult system created a perfect storm that has now swept over 100 Illinois minors into adult prisons for the rest of their lives. Illinois can and should do better in these cases.

Proposed legislation in the Illinois General Assembly, HB 1695, seeks a modest change in the treatment of these "juvenile lifers." The bill would create a two- stage process by which these inmates, after serving at least 20 years of their life sentences, could attain an assessment and review by the Prisoner Review Board. At the first stage, a committee of the Board would evaluate the inmate and determine whether he or she is eligible to seek parole. If found eligible, at the second stage, an inmate’s request for parole would be considered by the full Board. If the Board voted to parole the inmate, it would have the power to establish whatever conditions and terms of parole it finds appropriate.

The Chicago Council of Lawyers urges the General Assembly to pass legislation that will give a chance to children sentenced to natural life imprisonment.

Sean Collins-Stapleton
Vice-President
Chicago Council of Lawyers

 Updates on Parental Involvement Initiative under NCLB
 
caffj no wordsSince the release of the report Improving Parental Involvement in Illinois Under the No Child Left Behind Act: An Illinois Action Plan, Chicago Appleseed staff have turned to the implementation of our partnership development model. In February, we were represented at the statewide No Child Left Behind (NCLB) conference held in Chicago. There, we met with hundreds of teachers, parents and educators from all over Illinois to discuss our “Top- Down/Bottom Up” model of parental involvement. Our goal is to promote and facilitate negotiated partnerships among parents, school officials, and representatives of community organizations. These partnerships will improve communication, help resolve specific problems facing our schools, and increase student achievement.

Since the conference, we have been asked to present our work throughout Illinois and beyond. Within the last month we’ve made presentations to two Chicago school districts, and we are in the process of scheduling more. Chicago Appleseed has also presented the report and model to the Governor’s Parental Advisory Committee, and we will continue to work with them to shape parental involvement in the state of Illinois.

In April, Chicago Appleseed staff will present the model at the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grantee Training Center sponsored by the Center for Schools and Communities in Pennsylvania.

As our parental involvement under NCLB efforts continue, Chicago Appleseed will be in need of pro bono lawyers looking to utilize their negotiation and facilitation skills. At each of our presentations and upcoming regional forums, we seek to include the expertise that will help facilitate the development of partnership agreements. To find out more about this unique volunteer opportunity, contact Malcolm Rich at 312-988-6552.

Chicago Appleseed: A Decade of Growth
 
caffj no wordsThanks to everyone who helped make our “Decade of Growth” event a huge success! Our event featured Attorney General Lisa Madigan as the keynote speaker, and we honored Gloria Santona, Michael J. Freed and Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw LLP for their contributions to pro bono work in Chicago and throughout the nation.

Special thanks to our event sponsors:

Underwriter Level
Huron Consulting Group
Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz

Pacesetter Level
Sonnenchein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Neal Gerber & Eisenberg LLP
Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Benefactor Level
Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
Winston & Strawn LLP

Patron Sponsors
Abbott
Baker & McKenzie LLP
DLA Piper US LLP
Exelon, Proud Parent of ComEd
Freed Kanner London & Millen LLC
Goldberg Kohn Bell Black Rosenbloom & Moritz, Ltd.
Jenner & Block LLP
McDonald’s Corporation
Mid-Continent Capital LLC
Walgreen Co.

Contributor Sponsors
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Holland + Knight LLP
Littler Mendelson
Much Shelist Denenberg Ament & Rubenstein PC
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP

Donor Spotlight: Gary Elden, Grippo & Elden LLC
 Gift of Stock Starts Chicago Appleseed's Portfolio

caffj no words“If you work in the legal system, then you understand how important it is to equalize resources,” stated Gary Elden.

A founding partner of Grippo & Elden LLC, he recently gave Chicago Appleseed a first: a gift of stock to begin an Internship Fund. While donating stock can have large tax advantages, Mr. Elden prefers to think of the gift as a smart way to donate to such a worthy cause. “The best way to equalize resources is through systemic reform, and Chicago Appleseed focuses on just that.”

One of the ways Chicago Appleseed provides equal access and representation is to stretch donor dollars as far as possible. We leverage individual donations with intern/volunteer time and talent for added value. By utilizing the skills of graduate and undergraduate students, we can make every unrestricted donation double or even triple in size. This benefits everyone involved: students are exposed to systemic reform and advocacy issues, Chicago Appleseed is able to continue its work on behalf of all area residents, and donors appreciate that their contributions go directly to the work of the organization.

“Gary Elden is truly one of Chicago Appleseed’s unsung heroes. He understands that individual donations are a crucial part of our financial stability, and he allows us to use the gift in ways that will best benefit the organization,” stated Executive Director Malcolm C. Rich.

To find out how you can donate to Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice, call Development Director Amanda Grant at 312-988-6599, or donate through our website at www.chicagoappleseed.org.