Deborah Witzburg was appointed Inspector General in April 2022. She served as the Deputy Inspector General for Public Safety, overseeing independent, objective evaluations and reviews of the Chicago Police Department, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, and the Police Board. The…
Read More...
The expansion of the Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse at the University of Michigan Law School now includes an extensive archive of Gautreaux v. Chicago Housing Authority, one of the longest-running civil rights cases in the country. Panelists included Margo Schlanger, the Wade H. and…
Read More...
Through Gautreaux, a groundbreaking lawsuit in which a federal court ruled in 1969 that the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) had unconstitutionally segregated African American public housing residents, BPI continues to promote the investment of resources and development of vibrant communities….
Read More...
On June 21, 2022, BPI and other members of the Justice 20/20 Network Coordinating Committee (the Illinois Justice Project, Cabrini Green Legal Aid, Blackroots Alliance, the Illinois Prison, and the Full Free Campaign), hosted a virtual summer convening for the Justice 20/20 Network. This Network is an inclusive community…
Read More...
Over the last year, a coalition of lawyers and Latinx community non-profits — Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, Pilsen Law Center, BPI, and Illinois Latino Agenda – have worked together to demand an official Chicago Police Department (CPD) foot pursuit…
Read More...
While so much can be said about the recent Supreme Court opinions, including gutting the right to reproductive freedom and weakening tools available to protect communities from gun violence, now is the time for action. The Court’s efforts to turn back…
Read More...
For over 50 years, BPI has been committed to addressing the structural racism and systemic oppression that has led to inequities and injustices. Today, we continue to guide and support efforts to dismantle systems of injustice, create structures that empower…
Read More...
BPI is highlighting the voices of formerly incarcerated scholars through The Resilience Journals. This series of interviews celebrates the life and work of Eric Blackmon, Bernida Davenport, and Michael Tafolla – three formerly incarcerated individuals who work to improve the social, legal, and economic conditions of…
Read More...
On March 18, 2022, the Criminal Legal System team hosted a panel discussion about the need to expand HEP in Illinois. Shareese Pryor, BPI’s Senior Staff Counsel, Director of Criminal Legal System and Police Accountability, was joined by Representative Carol Ammons, Illinois State…
Read More...
Higher education in prison (HEP) is critical for the dignity and well-being of incarcerated individuals. BPI’s former Staff Counsel, Marsheda Ewulomi, and former Polikoff-Gautreaux Fellow and Staff Counsel, Ashton Hoselton, created the policy report, Higher Education in Prison: Understanding its Power and Fulfilling its Promise…
Read More...