When Reform Stalls: Insights On Arrest Diversion Implementation In Illinois

The 2021 Pretrial Fairness Act required all Illinois police officers to issue a citation at the site of arrest for certain low-level crimes instead of bringing a person into custody, a reform commonly known as “citation in lieu of arrest.” However, new research raises doubts about how fully this reform is being implemented in Chicago. At this webinar, Impact for Equity shares their new research and panelists reflect on how the lessons learned from this research fit within the broader context of Chicago’s and Illinois’ criminal legal system. Hosts: Impact for Equity and Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice Presenter: Gerald Polanco, Staff Counsel Impact for Equity Panel Moderator: Tonia Hill, Independent Journalist Panelists: Sharone Mitchell (Cook County Public Defender), Alexa Van Brunt (Director of the Illinois office at the MacArthur Justice Center), Dion McGill (CCPSA District Councilor, 7th District)