Understanding the Illinois Criminal Justice System

This site shows the crime summaries of neighborhoods in Chicago and is updated every to keep current to the past 90 days. It shows the breakdown of crime in Chicago and what type of crime it is.
-T. Shankar

MetroChicagoData.org brings interactive information and data from the City of Chicago, Cook County and the State of Illinois into one single, citizen-friendly interface. Search for keywords or browse a unified set of topics and categories.

In particular, issue #4 (No Justice, No Peace) focuses on criminal justice

The official site of the city. Among its many links is one to CHICAGO GOVERNMENT

Mission and History
Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice is an impact research, education and advocacy organization that works to achieve fundamental, systemic reform by addressing policies and practices that relate to social justice and government effectiveness issues. Chicago Appleseed is part of a national network of public interest law centers working through and with Appleseed in Washington, D.C.

Chicago Appleseed began life as the Fund for Justice, created in 1970 as the nonprofit arm of the Chicago Council of Lawyers (Council). The Council was created in 1969 by a group of lawyers who believed that lawyers have a professional obligation to challenge inadequacies in the legal system. The Fund for Justice was created to provide research and education on the systemic issues identified by the Council.

Mission:
The Chicago Crime Commission is a non-partisan, non-profit organization of civic and business leaders committed to improving the quality of public safety and justice.

Vision:
Continuing to operate as one of the most respected citizen crime commissions in the nation, through research, collaboration, programs, publications, leadership and advocacy in the community.

Guiding Principles:
To work effectively toward reducing crime.
To implement programs and services designed to address crime problems of significant concern.
To ensure the integrity of our law enforcement and criminal justice systems.
To review and report on legislation pertaining to crime.

Non-profit organization that funds prevention programs, and reports on criminal legislation.
-N. Rizvi

Chicago Metropolis 2020 is a business-backed civic organization promoting healthy regional growth. Among its interests are the areas of Justice & Violence.

The Heartland Alliance provides comprehensive services including social services, legal assistance, medical care, housing and outreach services.

It serves the Greater Chicago Metro area and neighboring communities within a 150 mile radius of Chicago, including parts of Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois. Heartland Alliance received a grant from the Office of Victims of Crime to provide pre-certification services.

Safer's mission is to reduce recidivism by supporting, through a full spectrum of services, the efforts of people with criminal records to become employed, law-abiding members of the community.

“The Chicago Justice Project (CJP) is an independent, non profit research organization. We strive to access and analyze data from criminal justice agencies to promote evidence based reforms that will better serve the justice needs of local communities.”

This NGO gathers information on Chicago's criminal justice programs and their implementations.
-N. Rizvi

This report includes data on crime trends and justice patterns in the region over time; explores “specific policy issues and some promising practices intended to address seemingly intractable problems in the criminal justice systems. (Second link includes overview of Metropolis 2020’s supported.
-A. McCormick

This report helped frame the Criminal Justice system and the problems with youth violence. It includes much statistical data to help gain a deeper understanding of the system, and includes things like "Promising Trends," the effects of stricter drug laws, and information on recidivism rates and reintegration into society
-M. Luna

An article describing how budget cuts have limited the amount of programs geared toward youth to keep them off the streets and away from violent activities.
-S. Saad

I was assigned Adjudication and this websites I found to be helpful.
-S. Rodriguez

A brief history of the Court System in Chicago.
-S. Saad

ABSTRACT: THE SYSTEM IS ANALYZED AS A MULTI-STAGE SCREENING PROCESS BY WHICH SOCIETY CHOOSES THOSE TO BE TREATED OR PUNISHED FOR CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. THE FLOW OF BUSINESS THROUGH THE SYSTEM IS MEASURED AT EACH STAGE, FROM INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE POLICE THROUGH PRETRIAL PROCEDURES, TRIAL, AND DIRECT APPEAL. THE MEASUREMENT IS BUT A MEANS OF DISCOVERING HOW WHAT GOES ON AT ONE STAGE AFFECTS EVENTS AT OTHER STAGES. THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS COMPARED TO A LIVING BIOLOGICAL SYSTEM. THE LAW AND PRACTICE REGARDING ASSISTANCE FOR INDIGENT CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS IN COOK COUNTY IS SURVEYED. IN THIS BRANCH OF LAW, STATUTES AND COURT RULES ARE FOUND TO BE NOT ONLY IN FLUX BUT IN CONTRADICTION AND OCCASIONALLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL. THE SYSTEM IS PROVIDING AN INCREASING ARRAY OF SERVICES TO INDIGENT DEFENDANTS, AND THE CONFUSION IS, IN A SENSE, A MEASURE OF SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS
-T. Yemeke

Provides a succinct overview of the program and its impact on the reduction of violence in different Chicago communities.
-R. Malitz

This link not only provides specific and in depth information on Ceasefire (an organization that Jim seemed sure he would invest in again), but can also includes everything and more we would need to rank a non-profit organization on our team's ranked list of investment opportunities for CCT. The report could serve as an example and template for our own analysis of non-profits. It includes Ceasefire's working model, a whole lot of relevant data (with clear charts and maps to express it), and even a series of surveys used to gather information on Ceasefire!
-R. Malitz

Links to material on:
-Criminal Justice System Reform
-Parental Involvement Education and Advocacy
-Financial Education and Access
-Immigration Court Reform

-T. Yemeke

A report by the US Department of Justice, this time on the Safer Foundation, which aims to get ex-convicts back into society, via education, employment search help, etc. The report is top-notch, and a worthwhile example for our own ranked list on top of an excellent resource on the Safer Foundation (an organization that CCT has already invested in).
-R. Malitz

Prepared by Rob Paral and Associates for
The Chicago Community Trust, May 2011