White Papers
The Illinois Juvenile Transfer Policies: Reforming Adult Prosecution of Youth
Illinois prosecutes hundreds of youths as adults each year through automatic transfer, discretionary waiver, and...
Proposing Legislation in Response to the Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act 1-Year Reports
The Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act (PFA) was introduced as Illinois legislation in 2021 and became...
I’m Not Lovin’ It: Modern Day Slavery in the U.S. Prison System
Modern day slavery operates through the prison system, where incarcerated individuals are forced to work...
I Need a Playground Not a Prison: Juvenile Justice in Illinois
This paper provides recommendations for programming and policies in the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice...
Earned and Denied: A Framework for Statutory Reforms to the Illinois Parole System
In 1978, the Illinois legislature established the Prisoner Review Board to replace the former Parole...
Burying the Black Body and Mind: How Mass Incarceration Kills the Black Community
This white paper highlights the issues with current prison policies and practices in the United...
Beyond Bail: The Necessity for Cash Bail Abolition and Humane Reforms
Cash bail invites discrimination based on income in pretrial detention, is counterintuitive, and costs states...
Autonomía Prestada, Soberanía Negada: The Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act of 1950 and the Legal Fiction of Commonwealth Status
This white paper examines the constitutional and democratic foundations of Puerto Rico’s political status, focusing...