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Police misconduct

The city’s effort to stem police misconduct is falling short, leaving abusive officers to operate with near impunity.

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Convicted Officials: Minorities go to trial faster; whites serve more time

January, 2001 The average sentence of white officials was 47 months; black and Latino officials received an average of 34 months. Excluding the 15-year, nine-month sentence of former Cook County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Maloney, which was more than twice as long as the next longest sentence, white officials averaged 29 months in prison. Maloney is the only judge in Illinois history ever convicted of taking a bribe to fix a murder trial. However, the Reporter analysis also showed that minority officials went to trial much more quickly than whites, giving them less time to prepare a defense.

Table of Contents

Convicted Officials: Minorities Go to Trial Faster; Whites Serve More Time

Carlos Herñandez GómezMany political experts have suggested the criminal justice system deals more harshly with minority officials than their white counterparts. The Reporter looked at the cases of 18 Chicago elected officials to examine their claim.
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Medrano Takes Blame for 'Mistake'

Former Alderman Ambrosio Medrano is a rarity. He's done something few convicted elected officials have done; he admitted he did something wrong.> Read More

Roll Call

The Chicago Reporter's analysis of the 18 Chicago elected officials convicted of federal crimes since 1987 reveals a racially diverse group–"nine whites, six African Americans and three Latinos–"and a wide range of offenses.> Read More
Web Extras

Interview with Mel Reynolds

Read the trasncript of former U.S. Rep Melvin J. Reynolds' first in-depth interview with The Chicago Reporter after his 78-month sentence was commuted by President Bill Clinton.> Read More
Inside Stories

2000 in Review: City Promises 'Transformation' for Public Housing

For the first time in six years, the Chicago Housing Authority spent an entire year under city–"not federal–"control, and showed signs of making significant changes in the lives of Chicago's 23,162 public housing families.> Read More
Inside Stories

2000 in Review: Census Sparks a Blame Game

Long before the disputed election count in Florida, the year 2000 witnessed another rancorous feud over numbers. Chicago officials and the U.S. Census Bureau sparred over who was at fault for the city's sluggish start to the 22nd decennial census.> Read More
Inside Stories

2000 in Review

The year in race, poverty and Chicago politics> Read More

Sentencing by the Numbers

To set penalties for federal crimes, judges must use this sentencing table to pinpoint where the offense level and the defendant's criminal history intersect, and then impose a sentence within that range.> Read More
Inside Stories

2000 in Review: Ryna Joins Dealth Penalty Fight, Seeks 'Moral Certainty'

To many of its supporters, the death penalty helps balance the scales of justice. But on Jan. 31, Republican Gov. George H. Ryan–"a longtime proponent–"imposed a moratorium on executions and promised to review the state's capital punishment system.> Read More