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Circuit Court of Cook County is closed today
The Circuit Court of Cook County may be closed today in honor of Casimir Pulaski Day but my law office is definitely open. Please feel free to contact me should you be in need of legal services. Lori Levin
Study on Women Inmates in Illinois Prisons
Frequently, I have posted on the plight of women offenders. The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, a state agency where I formerly served as Executive Director, continues to fund and conduct research on Illinois female offenders. Recently, ICJIA funded and published a study conducted by researchers of the Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology of […]
Another ruling against the Illinois eavesdropping statute
I have frequently posted regarding Illinois’ stringent eavesdropping statute which criminalizes the videotaping of law enforcement officers exercising their duties. Today, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Stanley J. Sacks declared the statute to be unconstitutional. For more information, read the Chicago Sun-Times article at https://www.suntimes.com/11009784-417/judge-declares-state-eavesdropping-law-unconstitutional.html
Another challenge to the Illinois eavesdropping statute
Previously, I have described Illinois’ strict eavesdropping statute which prohibits the videotaping of law enforcement performing official duties. An amendment to the statute has been proposed in the legislature and a downstate judge has declared the statute unconstitutional. The American Civil Liberties Union has also challenged the statute in federal court but that suit has […]
New national resource for girl offenders
Girls are increasingly becoming involved in the juvenile justice system. During my tenure as Executive Director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, members of the dedicated research staff explored the risk factors for girls interactions with juvenile justice officials. https://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/ResearchReports/Examining%20at-risk%20and%20delinquent%20girls%20in%20Illinois.pdf Recognizing the need for special services for these girls, in 2010, the United States […]
ReDeploy Illinois serves Illinois delinquent youth
When I was Executive Director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, I was proud to serve on the board of ReDeploy Illinois, a state initiative to treat juvenile offenders. ReDeploy Illinois attempts to serve juvenile offenders in their communities rather than committing them to the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. A link to the […]
ICJIA releases searchable database on Illinois criminal statutes
As the former Executive Director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, I am proud that my former agency has released a new searchable database for the Illinois’ criminal statutes. In the past, the Authority has not only constructed model databases for criminal justice purposes but has also conducted award-winning criminal justice research. The database […]
Legislation Introduced in Springfield Regarding Expungement of Emergency Orders of Protection Which Do Not Become Plenary Orders
Frequently, persons inquire whether an emergency civil order of protection may be expunged from the records of the Circuit Court. Currently, as such an order is a civil matter, there is no means to expunge such a case that is dismissed. Legislation that was introduced in the state legislature, if passed and signed as law, […]
Federal report on Youth in the Adult Criminal Justice System
Recently, the United States Department of Justice National Institute of Corrections published a report, “You’re An Adult Now. Youth in Adult Criminal Justice Systems,” which can be found at https://static.nicic.gov/Library/025555.pdf. When I was Executive Director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, I sat on the board of ReDeploy Illinois, the state’s policy team to […]
United States Supreme Court rules the installation of a GPS device is a search under the 4th Amendment
Today, the United States Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Jones, 565 U.S.__, (No. 10-1259) that law enforcement’s attachment of a global positioning system tracking device on an automobile and its use to monitor that car’s movements constitutes a search under the 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Court reiterated that the […]