David Olson

After decades of growth, the number of men and women in the Illinois prison system has declined sharply in the last several years. A complex blend of…

The state of Illinois has a problem with its prison boot camps: too many empty beds.The Department of Corrections runs two military-style programs in…

Who should pay for the Illinois courts?Illinois’ judicial system is increasingly being funded by the men and women who find themselves in court. For both…

A number of American cities have seen a spike in violent crime this year. It’s not happening everywhere, but it is happening in Chicago.What’s behind the…

Most experts say the governor’s target of a 25 percent reduction in the state's prison population can't be met by simply backing off the war on drugs.…

Should criminals bear the cost of their own rehabilitation?Last year, on November 4th, a McLean County judge handed down a sentence for drug possession.…

The politics of "tough on crime" were born of a culture of fear in the 1960s and '70s. In Illinois, that was exemplified by the public statements of…

Illinois struggles with its prison population in part because of its political culture. For decade, policymakers enacted greater and greater penalties for…

A task force meant to overhaul Illinois’ criminal justice system is meeting for the first time Thursday in Springfield.Gov. Bruce Rauner briefly addressed…