Many defendants declared unfit for trial have often waited three months or longer to be transferred to a hospital – regularly exceeding the state’s deadline, an Illinois Answers Project investigation found. The condition of those waiting deteriorates as each day passes, families and lawyers said.
Meredith Newman
Meredith Newman is an embedded investigative reporter with the Illinois Answers Project. Before joining the newsroom, she worked at The News Journal in Wilmington, Delaware and The Capital in Annapolis, Maryland. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and is originally from Evanston, Illinois.
Posted inInvestigating Responses
Illinois Is Turning to Local Jails to Treat Mentally Ill Defendants. Some Early Results Offer Hope — and Warnings
It’s not often that Menard County Jail has a detainee who has been found unfit for trial. The jail, just north of Springfield, is small. With a census that can […]
Posted inStatewide Investigations
How Illinois is now prioritizing outpatient fitness restoration
Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law this summer that public defenders say will better clarify when someone found unfit for trial should undergo outpatient fitness restoration. The law, which goes […]
Posted inInvestigating Responses
‘We’re at the Mercy of Child Care:’ Child Care Costs are Crushing Families — Illinois’ Largest Subsidy Excludes Thousands
While the state infuses hundreds of millions of dollars a year into child care programs, the strict eligibility requirements and limitations for its largest child care subsidy exclude tens of thousands of families.
Posted inInvestigations
Impacts and updates from our “Strapped Down” series
Impacts and updates from our “Strapped Down” series
Posted inStatewide Investigations
He Attempted Suicide. Peoria Jail Restrained Him in a Chair for Five Days.
Peoria County Jail, in recent years, has restrained its charges for longer durations than other jails in the state and far past industry recommendations.
Posted inInvestigations
Las Inundaciones Son la Catástrofe Natural Más Amenazadora de Illinois. ¿Estamos Preparados?
Cuando se trata de prevenir inundaciones graves, no hay una solución única. En las próximas semanas, Illinois Answers Project examinará lo que están haciendo los municipios y los departamentos estatales para proteger a sus habitante.
Posted inInvestigation
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
When it comes to preventing severe flooding, there’s not one fix. Over the next few weeks, the Illinois Answers Project will examine what city and state agencies are doing to protect residents.
Posted inCriminal Justice & Public Safety
Dad Found Guilty in Abuse Death of 8-year-old Peoria Boy Navin Jones
A Peoria jury convicted Brandon Walker of murder in a trial that highlighted the failures of DCFS to remove 8-year-old Navin Jones from his parents’ care.
