Community Autonomy Archives - Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts

What is the Gun Accountability Program?

The Gun Accountability Program (GAP) is a newly implemented diversion program that provides a deferred prosecution pathway for individuals charged with Class 4 Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (UPW) or Class 4 Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (AUPW). Participation is limited to individuals...

2026 Future Justice Lawyers of Chicago Student Reports: Available Now!

The Future Justice Lawyers of Chicago is proud to present the 2026 Cohorts' research reports spanning from research on immigration inequalities to tax inequality. Undergraduate Research Chicago Public School Security [PDF] Environmental Injustice and Data Centers [PDF] Reimagining the I...

New Report Uses Court-Watching to Evaluate the Implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act

The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice (INPJ) has released “Changing Landscapes: Community Court-Watchers’ Observations of the Second Year of Pretrial Fairness Act Implementation,” a new report detailing community efforts to monitor implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act in its second year....

Why do we need court-watchers in Illinois? The answer lies in our open records laws.

Community court-watching is exactly what it sounds like: members of the public taking time out of their days to watch court proceedings. But why? In Chicago Appleseed’s Court Observation & Education Program (COEP), we see court-watching not only as an informative experience for volunteers but...

NEW: Future Justice Lawyers of Chicago Students’ Reports on the Criminal System, Immigration, and Healthcare in Jails & Prisons — Available Now!

Chicago Appleseed is thrilled to announce that the Future Justice Lawyers of Chicago (FJLOC) students' reports on the criminal system, immigration, and healthcare in prisons are available now! Focus on Parole Focus on Reentry and Rehabilitation The Role of the Prosecutor in Bringing About...

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