decriminalization Archives - Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts

REPORT: Reducing Barriers to Recovery — Shifting Low-Level Drug Possession from Felonies to Misdemeanors in Illinois

Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts, the ACLU of Illinois, the Cook County Department of Public Health, and the Illinois Justice Project have released our joint report, Reducing Barriers to Recovery – Shifting Low-Level Drug Possession From Felonies to Misdemeanors in Illinois. Our report provi...

Dynamics of Drug Possession Charges in Illinois, from Investigatory Stops to Sentences

B A C K G R O U N D Illinois is one of 18 states that makes possession of drugs (except cannabis) a felony in all cases. This means that possession, even of very small amounts of drugs, can lead to serious criminal legal system involvement. Felony arrests lead to pretrial jail time, often bec...

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...