Illinois State Capitol, Photo by Daniel Schwen

Chicago Appleseed Placed on Study Committee for Drug Field-Testing Program

On August 21, 2015, HB356, a bill establishing a pilot drug field-testing program was enacted, having passed both houses of the Illinois legislature and being signed by Governor Rauner. The bill, chiefly sponsored by Representative Zalewski in the House and Senator Harmon in the Senate, was develope...
September 14, 2015

ACT Court Milestone

Last week, the Access to Community Treatment Court achieved a major milestone, celebrating its first graduation for individuals who have successfully completed the problem-solving court program. 16 individuals were recognized for their efforts.  Several graduates shared powerful remarks about their...
September 14, 2015

Bond Reform Measure Signed

“The county should not be using bond being posted by non-convicted individuals as a revenue source. It’s a tax on poor black and brown people primarily,” said Cook County Commissioner John Fritchey, quoted in a WBEZ story on a new law concerning processing fees in the criminal court. The measure cap...
August 26, 2015

Ensuring the Public Defense of Indigent Defendants in Cook County

The Criminal Justice Advisory Committee, a joint group of the Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice and the Chicago Council of Lawyers, has released a report on whether criminal defendants in Chicago’s felony preliminary hearing courtrooms receive the public defense required by the Sixth Amendment to t...
August 19, 2015

Victory for Fair Sentencing of Children

Last month, Illinois Coalition for the Fair Sentencing of Children, Restore Justice Illinois and the Bluhm Legal Clinic celebrated the passage of their House Bill 2741. The Bill eliminates mandatory life-without-parole sentences for youth under 18 at the time of the offense and requires judges to co...
August 13, 2015