MEDILL TrialMonitors

MEDILL TrialMonitors

Home
Archive
About
Citizenship process hitting roadblocks as ICE crackdowns under Trump intensify
Immigration policies lengthen wait times for naturalization and create climate of fear
 • MEDILL TrialMonitors
As veterans courts expand, nonprofits step in to bridge service gaps
Manuel Gomez, a Navy veteran, told Medill Trial Monitors in October that 78% of justice-involved veteran women have reported experiencing sexual assault…
 • MEDILL TrialMonitors
The formerly incarcerated turn to services to navigate reentry barriers
StreetWise, a grassroots journalism outlet, provides income and a community for roughly 125 vendors with lived experience of homelessness, poverty and…
 • MEDILL TrialMonitors
Problem-solving courts offer jail-free paths for justice-impacted veterans
Judge Michael Hood presents the Alma Roque award to Michael Wronkowski, a woodworker and retired deputy sheriff, during the Nov.
 • MEDILL TrialMonitors
Restoring hope for justice-involved veterans
The University of Chicago’s Office for Military-Affiliated Communities, also known as OMAC, partners with Cook County Jail through its Veterans…
 • MEDILL TrialMonitors

Recent posts

View all
Rising costs may leave pro se litigants at a disadvantage
From left, reporters Michael Capobianco, Cassandra Brook and Jezel Martinez portray an Italian interpreter, a defendant and a defense attorney…
 • MEDILL TrialMonitors
Incarcerated transgender people confront systemic mistreatment
BONUS: Interactive StoryMap: Click here to begin
 • MEDILL TrialMonitors
Trump funding cuts threaten legal aid in Illinois
James Soto, Illinois’ longest-serving exoneree, said fears about potential funding cuts to legal agencies echo the effects of President Ronald Reagan’s…
 • MEDILL TrialMonitors
SMART combats substance use disorder at the Cook County jail
SIDEBAR Feature: THRIVE: Addiction Rehabilitation for the Women of Cook County Jail (w/script)
 • MEDILL TrialMonitors
Cook County's public defenders shoulder heavy caseloads with steady resolve
Jeanne Bishop, who became a public defender after her sister’s murder, said when she started her career as a corporate associate, she didn’t feel like…
 • MEDILL TrialMonitors
Mental health issues plague Illinois courts
Cermak Health Services, the second largest single-site correctional health service in the United States, provides care to the detainees at the Cook…
 • MEDILL TrialMonitors
The harsh realities of truth in sentencing
In Illinois, defendants can be harmed by laws even before they're convicted
 • MEDILL TrialMonitors
No-cash bail "accomplishing its goals" in Illinois
But experts say Pretrial Fairness Act created burdens for some judges, lawyers
Prison gerrymandering conceals the power of locked-up votes
Counting inmates as constituents disproportionally affects people of color
 • MEDILL TrialMonitors
MEDILL TrialMonitors
MEDILL TrialMonitors
This site showcases reporting by Northwestern journalism students in the “Court Watchers: The Legal Beat” course, who cover court proceedings and visit correctional facilities to provide transparent, balanced, and nuanced coverage of the legal system.
© 2026 MEDILL Trial Monitors · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture