2025 News Archive

Rebecca Acton was charged with burglary in 2009 and got probation. But she kept getting into trouble – failing to check in with her probation officer and catching new felony charges as she struggled with heroin addiction. 

Though none of the new charges stuck, Acton feared being sent to jail for violating probation. She went on the run, leaving the northern suburbs and moving to Wisconsin. Acton got off drugs. Then she wanted to go into motivational speaking and get a clean slate, which meant turning herself in. 

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans welcomed a cohort of county leaders from across the country, Monday, for a National Association of Counties (NACo) peer exchange visit to Cook County. The visit marks the third and final in-person meeting for the CORE Justice Network, a program focused on empowering county leaders to identify and eliminate disparities in the local justice system. 

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans joined Fox 32's Paris Schutz to discuss the transition of the county's electronic monitoring program to the Office of the Chief Judge. The discussion begins at the 20:48 mark.

https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1620049

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans discusses the strengths of the Adult Probation Department's Electronic Monitoring Program, which transitioned on April 1, with Brandis Friedman, of WTTW News.

https://news.wttw.com/2025/04/02/chief-judge-s-office-takes-over-electronic-monitoring-cook-county-amid-staffing-concerns

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans, along with other judges and staff at the Criminal Courthouse, hosted the United Kingdom’s Minister for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman KC on Tuesday to share details regarding the Court’s innovative Problem-Solving Courts and Restorative Justice programs.

Both of these court programs help to divert those convicted of non-violent felonies into programs that give participants a second chance and help them to work on the problems that led them into the criminal justice system.

Starting on Tuesday, April 1, the Cook County Sheriff will stop accepting new Electronic Monitoring (“EM”) participants and all new court orders to EM will be sent to the Adult Probation Department Pretrial Services (“APD”). Operating under the Office of the Chief Judge (“OCJ”), APD has a long history running its EM program and will continue to operate the program based on the procedures it has developed over the past fourteen years.

In advance of this transition, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans issued the following statement:

University of Illinois Chicago Law School Professors Michael P. Seng, Stephen Schlegel and student Christine Drew penned a guest editorial in Thursday's Chicago Sun-Times, citing the importance or resolving nonviolent gun cases in our Restorative Justice Community Courts.

Restorative Justice Practitioner Audrey Dunford was quoted in this New York Times article regarding her role in Stick Talk.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/17/us/gun-violence-deaths-harm-reduction.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5U4.35xJ.DoXlZvJDNk9N&smid=url-share

The Chicago Tribune shares this exclusive story about our Family Navigators, who assist family members with everything they need to know about our court process and guiding their family members and loved ones through it.

‘Family navigators’ seek to reduce obstacles, increase support for youth, families in juvenile courts

Judge Patricia Spratt joins WGN Radio's Karen Conti to discuss the WTTW documentary "Firsthand: Peacekeepers!" Spratt, who presides over the North Lawndale Restorative Justice Community Court, is featured in the documentary. Judge Spratt details the process and the criteria for those participating in the program.

How restorative justice is changing young people’s lives | WGN Radio 720 - Chicago's Very Own