From Abraham Lincoln to Barack Obama, Illinois has long and proud political history. As rich as our state's political past is, however, it would perhaps be remiss to overlook the fact that it has had a few darker chapters, including two recent governors convicted on...
Last time, our blog discussed how the area of white collar crime is by no means the exclusive domain of the federal government, as law enforcement officials here in Illinois routinely handle the investigation and prosecution of all types of financial crimes.By way of...
When you hear certain terms like wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering and, of course, embezzlement, there is a natural inclination to associate these crimes with agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the...
At this time of the year, high school seniors across the state of Illinois and around the nation are busy preparing for their final exams and, more significantly, their walk across the stage to accept their diplomas. For the majority of these young people, the next...
Is it right that a youthful mistake should haunt you the rest of your life? In Illinois, having a juvenile criminal record can prevent you from getting into college, finding a job or even putting a roof over your head -- even if the conviction on your record is years,...
When most of us hear the term registry used in conjunction with criminal activity, we naturally think of the sex offender registries currently found in all 50 states. Indeed, the last thing we probably think of is white collar crime given the altogether disparate...
Most people know about "Miranda" rights, and even if you don't know them by name, you've probably heard about them on a TV show or in a movie. These rights are named after a 1966 Supreme Court case, which saw the justices rule that the police have to read you your...
We are continuing our discussion of a man who was recently released from prison after serving 11 years of a 14-year sentence. He had insisted from the beginning that he was innocent -- more than that, that he was framed by a Chicago police sergeant and another...
Earlier this month, CBS' "60 Minutes" ran a story about three men released from prison after spending decades on death row. The three are part of a growing number of men -- as many as 10 every month, according to this report -- whose wrongful convictions are being...
We are continuing our review of law changes that took effect on Jan. 1. Our focus is on the changes to the juvenile justice system. Illinois and other states have taken up President Barack Obama's call to change the focus of the entire criminal justice system from,...
