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Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern


 Illinois criminal justice reform groups say that reclassifying drug possession charges is a first step toward changing substance use from a criminal issue to a public health issue. They said they plan to propose a bill to achieve this in the 2021 legislative session.

Advocates push Illinois to reclassify drug charges, establish prison diversion programs

February 10, 2021

After a “defelonization” bill failed to pass in the Illinois General Assembly, criminal justice reform advocates are pushing to reintroduce the proposal in 2021. On top of reclassifying low-level drug...

Gov. Bruce Rauner speaks to a crowd of supporters on Nov. 4, 2014, the night he was elected governor of Illinois. Rauner has made criminal justice reform a priority.

Illinois Senate passes criminal justice reform bill

January 18, 2017

The Illinois Senate passed a bill Tuesday giving judges more control over sentencing and beginning a process to provide more funding trauma recovery services for violent crime victims. Both houses passed...

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Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881
Ben Ruddell