After two years of leading creative writing workshops in the Cook County Jail, University of Chicago student Ethan Ostrow said there is one moment he thinks about often.  He recalled how one participant shared that he had been charged with manslaughter after killing his best friend in a drunk driving accident.  “Watching him blink back […] The post Marshall Scholar, Ethan Ostrow, aims to expand restorative justice in Chicagoland and the U.S. appeared first on The Chicago Reporter ..read more

Two University of Chicago students were banned from volunteering in the Cook County Jail after publicly criticizing jail policies. A letter from the People’s Law Office alleges that the students’ dismissal constitutes a First Amendment violation. As the new school year began, University of Chicago students Ethan Ostrow and Harley Pomper were preparing to resume […] The post Cook County Sheriff’s Office accused of retaliation and First Amendment violations appeared first on The Chicago Reporter ..read more

On an April night in Chicago, Alexis Mansfield, an attorney who regularly assists women with criminal justice involvement, received a phone call from a woman in distress. The caller had previously been incarcerated, but was now on house arrest as part of the Cook County Sheriff Department’s Electronic Monitoring Program. But she was unable to […] The post How Chicago’s Electronic Monitoring Program Fails Women and Domestic Violence Survivors appeared first on The Chicago Reporter ..read more

Community Renewal Society (CRS) and its subsidiary, Chicago Reporter, is steadfast in its commitment to honoring the sanctity of life. We grieve the loss of all lives impacted by the culture of violence across the global diaspora, perpetuated through war, racism, poverty, disinheritance, xenophobia and all crimes against humanity, including white supremacist patriarchal systems of […] The post In the Name of Love, Justice and Humanity appeared first on The Chicago Reporter ..read more

Nearly 70 years after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of desegregating public schools, Chicago’s school system remains largely segregated. Low rates of enrollment and poor test scores on the Illinois Scholastic Assessment test scores have contributed to funding cuts and school closures—issues that disproportionately impact school districts located in Chicago’s South and West sides. […] The post Escaping the ‘hunger games’ of Chicago’s high school application process: Chicago’s segregated schools and the nonprofit creating pathways to college appeared first on The Chicago Reporter ..read more

The Community Hero Spotlight program is a consortium of media partners highlighting ordinary people who are making an extraordinary difference in the lives of others and community. The Chicago Reporter encourages its readers to vote for our HERO: Lamenta Conway M.D, MPH. Heroes with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd most votes will receive money to […] The post Spotlighting Our Hero: Lamenta Conway M.D, MPH appeared first on The Chicago Reporter ..read more