A police officer seemingly adhered to the Chicago Police Department’s foot pursuit policy — still cost him his life
Criminal Justice & Public Safety
Posted inInvestigations
Big talk, slow progress from Mayor Lightfoot on anti-violence programs
City Hall touts its $410M plan to fight crime but has spent little money; some cash goes to street outreach groups with no experience or troubled leadership.
Posted inCriminal Justice & Public Safety
Explained: Illinois’ Assault Weapons Ban and the Legal Challenges It Faces
A new law banning assault weapons is facing an uphill legal battle with scholars hesitant to say it will survive challenges
Posted inInvestigations
Life and Death in Chicago’s Most Dangerous Bike Lane
In Chicago’s busiest bike lane along Milwaukee Avenue, there have been 50 reported crashes and three deaths since 2020 as cyclists navigate the city’s patchwork approach to safety.
Posted inInvestigating Responses
Is It Working? Cook County’s Domestic Violence Court Strains to Improve and Expand a Year After a Reckoning
As officials work to overhaul an overloaded and flawed court system, advocates and survivors say the finish line is a long way off.
Posted inInvestigations
New Illinois Law Gives Cops Choice Not To Jail People for Small Amounts of Drugs
The change follows a Better Government Association/Chicago Sun-Times investigation last year that documented the impact of ‘dead end’ drug arrests in which people are briefly locked up, only to see the charges soon dismissed.
Posted inInvestigations
Days of Blunder: Bike Lane Ticket Bonanza for Drag Racers
Drivers on road nearby quiet city park known for bird watching slammed with hundreds of bike lane infractions
Posted inInvestigations, Criminal Justice & Public Safety
Out-of-State Abortions in Illinois Already Breaking Records
Surrounded by states enacting bans or severe restrictions, Illinois is poised to become a place where out-of-state patients and practitioners seek refuge. Politicians and advocates are seeking ways to welcome what they say could be a record-setting demand for the controversial procedure.
Posted inCriminal Justice & Public Safety
Hundreds More Black Chicagoans Are Pleading Guilty to Gun-Possession Charges. Here’s One Possible Reason Why.
As Chicago police have made more gun-possession arrests, prosecutors are using the secretive grand jury process and securing more convictions.
Posted inInvestigations
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Claims Chicago’s ’Tougher’ Gun Laws Fail To Prevent Gun Violence
Chicago is frequently targeted as a city with ineffective, strict gun laws. While the city has a history of implementing tougher laws in comparison to other cities, a Supreme Court decision drastically loosened some restrictions.
