CCSAO's 2022 Year-in-Review Report

2022 YEAR-IN-REVIEW

Kimberly M. Foxx, Cook County State’s Attorney

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ACCOUNTABILITY. COLLABORATION. FAIRNESS. INTEGRITY. RESPECT.

Table of Contents

A Message from State’s Attorney Kim Foxx

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About the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

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2022 Adult Felony Review Data

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2022 Bureau Milestones

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2022 Policy Milestones

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2022 Community Highlights

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Photo Credit: Booth Hansen. Rendering of the Bridgeview Courthouse.

COOK COUNTY STATE’S ATTORNEY

Kim Foxx

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Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

A Message from State’s Attorney Foxx

It continues to be my honor to oversee the second-largest prosecutor’s office in the country, staffed with more than 1,200 dedicated civil-service professionals who work endlessley on behalf of the 5-million+ residents of Cook County. I am especially proud of my staff’s work in 2022 as we began to dispose of cases at pre-pandemic levels.

Since taking office, I have been committed to creating a transparent system where our work is grounded in data and evidence. The CCSAO is the first prosecutor’s office in the country to establish an open-data portal so that the people we serve can see and understand our work. That ongoing pledge is reflected in our 2022 Year-inReview Report. In this report, you will see that our commitment to transparency has not wavered.

In 2022, we approved nearly nine-out-of-ten adult felony cases presented to the office, established partnerships with well over 200 community-based small businesses and organizations, reached multiple milestones in the areas of policy and technologyintegration, and continued our work to address injustices and disparities in the criminal justice system.

We recognize that our role is not simply to convict, but to seek equitable and fair justice for every individual, regardless of identity, economic status and zip code.

Sincerely,

Kimberly M. Foxx Cook County State’s Attorney

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About CCSAO The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) works on behalf of Cook County residents to prosecute violations of the criminal law of the State of Illinois, and regulatory laws surrounding child support, civil, domestic violence, fraud and immigration services. The Office prosecutes tens-of-thousands of cases each year across the 100+ law enforcement jurisdictions in Cook County.

CCSAO Quick Facts

@CookCountySAO

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office is the second-largest prosecutor’s office in the United States, representing over five million residents in Cook County.

CookCountyStatesAttorney.org

Each year, over 30,000 felony cases are presented to the CCSAO for prosecution.

Six bureaus and four independent units make up the structure of the CCSAO..

Over 1,200 dedicated civil professionals work at the CCSAO, including 600+ attorneys, 115 investigators and 390+ administrative staff.

State’s Attorney Kim Foxx is the first African American woman to lead the CCSAO.

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Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

The CCSAO Seal

CCSAO Mission, Vision & Values

Mission To do justice in the pursuit of thriving, healthy, and safe communities.

Vision A safer, stronger Cook County.

Values Accountability - Transparency is critical to efficiently and effectively fulfill our public safety mission. Our work is grounded in data and evidence, and we are committed to ensuring that the public can access that information.

Collaboration - While our first responsibility is to prosecute crime, we also have the power to impact lives. We work with our community, law enforcement, legislative partners and business stakeholders on ways to improve outcomes for individuals affected by the criminal justice system.

Fairness - The criminal justice system can be unfair to segments of the population that have been historically marginalized. We work to advocate for a more fair system that prioritizes people and reform over convictions.

Integrity - Our moral responsibility demands that we protect the innocent, take all allegations of crime and abuse seriously, work to convict those guilty of crime, and respect the rights of all those impacted by the criminal justice system. Our ethical responsibility is to ensure that our burden of proof is met so that we maintain the integrity of the profession and that we maintain prosecutorial integrity in every case.

Respect - In a system where corruption and forced confessions have left many people with a strong and understandable distrust for law enforcement and the justice system, we rebuild that trust by treating everyone with mutual respect and fairness, and following the law. Our role in the justice system demands that we respect the laws that govern society and preserve our democracy.

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A Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)

We interconnect diversity, equity and inclusion to foster a work culture grounded in fairness and respect. Our DEI commitment involves initiatives that promote equal access, opportunity, employment and a sense of belonging for every employee at the CCSAO. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) ERGs are voluntary, employee-led groups that work together to cultivate camaraderie and teamwork through the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion. ERGs create safe spaces for employees, and ensure that they have the necessary tools and connections to reach personal and professional goals. By contributing their diverse perspectives and experiences to decision-making processes, ERGs help the CCSAO better serve the many segments of culture and individuality represented in communities across Cook County.

400

In 2022, the CCSAO’s ERGs dedicated over 400 hours to community service and volunteerism.

List of CCSAO ERGs •

Ability Alliance Network

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Alianza

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Alliance for Black Leadership and Excellence

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Asian American & Pacific Islanders

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LGBTQ+ ERG

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Middle Eastern and North African

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Women’s Insight and Support through Education

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Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

CCSAO Offices & Locations

69 W. Washington St.

555 W. Harrison St.

Chicago, IL 60602

Chicago, IL 60607

Executive Offices

First Municipal District

28 N. Clark St.

5600 Old Orchard Rd.

Chicago, IL 60602

Skokie, IL 60077

Child Support Enforcement

Second Municipal District

500 Richard J. Daley Center

2121 Euclid Ave.

Chicago, IL 60602

Rolling Meadows, IL 60008

Appeals, Asset Forfeiture Unit

Third Municipal District

715 W. Maxwell St.

1500 Maybrook Ave.

Chicago, IL 60607

Maywood, IL 60153

Community Justice Center-Central

Fourth Municipal District

1100 S. Hamilton Ave.

10220 S. 76th Ave.

Chicago, IL 60608

Bridgeview, IL 60455

Juvenile Justice Bureau

Fixth Municipal District

2650 S. California Ave.

16501 Kedzie Ave.

Chicago, IL 60608

Markham, IL 60428

Leighton Criminal Courts Building

Sixth Municipal District

Victim Witness Unit

Community Justice Center-South

5333 N. Western Ave. Chicago, IL 60625 Community Justice Center-North 5100 W. Harrison St. Chicago, IL 60644 Community Justice Center-West

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CCSAO Bureaus, Divisions & Units

Bureau of Administrative Services (BAS) BAS consists of several hundred support personnel who handle all administrative tasks at the CCSAO. BAS keeps the office running on a day-to-day basis and provides support in the form of office managers, administrative supervisors, data entry clerks, administrative assistants, clerks, receptionists, mailroom/supply clerks, warehouse facility clerks, law clerks/paralegals, program assistants, and community liaisons.

Alternative Prosecution and Sentencing Unit (APSU) APSU diverts offenders to one-of-26 courts, countywide, that focus on increasing public safety through principles of rehabilitation and restoration. Through deferred prosecution and treatment courts, offenders are given the opportunity to change their behavior and address underlying issues that may exist.

Criminal Prosecutions Bureau (CPB) CPB is the largest bureau and is comprised of multiple divisions and units. At any given time, there are approximately 500 Assistant State’s Attorneys in the bureau who are dedicated to serving the residents of Cook County through the honest and vigilant prosecution of crimes.

Civil Actions Bureau (CAB) CAB serves the public interest in many ways; including, representing the County in lawsuits brought on its behalf, defending County office holders and employees in lawsuits arising from their official duties, and representing the County in actions brought to collect funds owed for taxes and fees.

Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) CIU investigates claims of actual innocence based on new evidence. Its mission is to determine whether new evidence shows that an innocent person has been wrongfully convicted for a crime. After its review, CIU makes remedy recommendations (if any) to the State’s Attorney. The State’s Attorney makes the final decision on any corrective actions for individual cases.

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Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

CCSAO Bureaus, Divisions & Units

Investigations Bureau (IB) IB consists of more than 120 sworn officers who provide investigative and logistical support to Assistant State’s Attorneys in their preparation and presentation of cases.

Investigators also complement and supplement local law enforcement efforts by providing them with investigative assistance, expertise and technical resources.

Juvenile Justice Bureau (JJB) JJB’s holistic approach to justice is rooted in securing the best-suited outcome for families and minors with pending matters in the child protection and juvenile justice courts. JJB is comprised of two divisions: The Child Protection Division, which reviews and prosecutes cases in which children are alleged to be abused, neglected or dependent; and the Juvenile Justice Division, which reviews and prosecutes offenses committed by juveniles.

Special Prosecutions Bureau (SPB) Cases handled by SPB involve long-term proactive investigations that are supervised by experienced prosecutors with specialized knowledge and experience. SPB heads specialized investigations that attack the core operations of sophisticated criminal enterprises, including street gangs, public corruption and white collar crime. SPB has significantly increased the prosecution of police and public corruption, and has spear-headed new initiatives and legislative reforms in the areas of gang crimes, human-trafficking, mortgage fraud, identity theft, consumer fraud, and organized theft and fencing.

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Photo Credit: Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune

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Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

Photo Credit: Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune

Mile ston es Accountability, Collaboration, Fairness, Integrity & Respect.

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Adult Felony Review & Prosecution

All incidents for the data in this section occurred in Cook County from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022. The data does

86% Approval Rate —

In 2022, the CCSAO reviewed and made a charging decision for 15,760 adult felony cases.

13,590 cases were approved, resulting in an 86% approval

not include misdemeanor charges.

80% Conviction Rate —

In 2022, the CCSAO prosecuted 21,309 cases. 16,772 of those cases were filed by the CCSAO, not law enforcement. 13,421 of the cases filed by the CCSAO were convicted, resulting in an

Top Prosecuted Adult Felony

80% conviction rate.

Categories Unlawful Use of Weapons: 6,996 prosecuted. 5,455 guilty.

In 2022, the CCSAO approved nearly 9-of-10 fully-reviewed adult felony cases submitted Narcotics: 4,753 prosecuted. 1,904 guilty.

Aggravated DUI: 1,085 prosecuted. 994 guilty.

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Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

by its law enforcement partners.

Adult Felony Domestic Violence (DV) Cases

90% Approval Rate —

In 2022, the CCSAO reviewed and made a charging decision for 512 adult felony DV cases.

461 cases were approved, resulting in an 90% approval rate.

85%

Conviction Rate —

A Data-Driven CCSAO We’re committed to data transparency and accountability. Scan this QR code to utilize the CCSAO’s open datasets and dashboards.

The CCSAO data portals include dashboards on DV, felony and sexual assault cases. The open datasets

In 2022, the CCSAO prosecuted 468 cases, 396 of the cases were

contain tens of millions of data points dating back to the year, 2010.

convicted by the CCSAO.

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2022 Bureau Milestones

222 Admin Services —

In 2022, the Bureau of

72%

Criminal Prosecutions —

Administration Services (BAS)

In 2022, the CCSAO referred 1,521

oversaw the hiring of 222 people;

offenders to a diversion program.

including 144 ASAs, 24 investigators,

704 of the individuals assigned to a

and 54 individuals to the

program graduated.

administrative staff.

Diversion programs provide In 2022, BAS modernized hiring

effective alternatives to traditional

processess with technological

prosecution and incarceration. The

advancements in data tracking,

CCSAO refers these individuals to

automated hiring flows, and

diversion and rehabilitation services

social integrations on Indeed and

vs. sentencing them to custody.

LinkedIn. After successful completion of a diversion program, charges are dismissed or vacated. However, information such as arrest records and charges filed still exists.

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Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

2022 Bureau Milestones

$2.6M Civil Actions —

In 2022, the Civil Actions Bureau’s

237 Conviction Integrity

(CAB) Child Support Division filed

—

nearly 15,000 cases and won over

In 2022, the number of overall

$2.6 million in current child and

vacated convictions achieved

medical support payments.

under the administration of State’s Attorney Foxx reached an

CAB’s Real Estate Tax Section saved

overall total of 237.

over $180 million for the various taxing districts within Cook County,

Total Watts-Related Vacated

against commercial property tax

Convictions in 2022: 106.

challenges in Circuit Court.

The Conviction Integrity CAB ensured that Cook County

Unit had great success with

was the leading county in an

testing old DNA evidence

early lawsuit against Big Pharma

using new technology and

accountable for the modern opioid

started developing protocols

crisis that resulted in a $60 million

for the preservation of current

settlement for the State.

evidence.

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Photo Credit: Camille Fine, Chicago Tribune via AP

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Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

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2022 Bureau Milestones, Cont’d

20K

4K+

Investigations Bureau

Juvenile Justice

In 2022, the Investigations Bureau

In 2022, over 4,500 cases were

(IB) responded to 20,190 investigative

presented to the Juvenile Justice

requests for service.

Bureau (JJB), and included case

—

—

screenings by the Juvenile Justice IB’s Public Corruption team’s

Division and Child Protection Division.

investigation into possible embezzlement occurring in the

1,180 new cases for families were

Harvey School District led to the

screened by the Child Protection

arrest of a high-ranking public

Division in 2022. The new cases involved

official, who was charged with

allegations of abuse, neglect and

misappropriating well over $1.4

dependency of children.

million.

Balanced and restorative justice IB investigators evaluated over

continues to be in the forefront of the

8,000 cyber tips and participated in

Juvenile Justice Division’s commitment

multiple investigations and arrests

to fair justice for the community as

with the Internet Crimes Against

a whole. The division seeks the best-

Children Task Force.

suited outcome for victims and youthful offenders.

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Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

Accountability, Collaboration, Fairness, Integrity & Respect.

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2022 Policy Milestones

15,191 Cannabis Expungement —

In April 2022, the CCSAO presented 214 additional cannabis cases to be automatically expunged, bringing the total to 15,191 expungements since the legalization of marijuana in Illinois.

Throughout the Cannabis Expungement Project, expunged convictions were removed from individuals’ records as though they never happened. Once that record was removed, the Clerk of the Circuit Court mailed or emailed a notice to the individual’s last known address.

This relief was “automatic” and required no action from individuals with eligible convictions.

Pretrial Fairness —

Using the principles of bond reform that the CCSAO has spearheaded for over six years, in 2022, the CCSAO supported the Pretrial Fairness Act (PFA).

Staff participated in the PFA working group of stakeholders who reviewed projections from researchers on enhancements needed to ensure system sustainability for when PFA is enacted.

The CCSAO is monitoring the ongoing legal challenges of PFA implementation in Illinois and continues to prosecute cases based on the law.

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Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

2022 Policy Milestones

Resentencing Initiative —

In the interests of public safety and justice, the CCSAO piloted the

Search Warrants —

Resentencing Initiative that utilizes

The CCSAO released a new policy

Senate Bill 2129 to review cases and

for its law enforcement partners

identify incarcerated persons with

designed to increase accountability

sentences that may be eligible for

in requesting and executing

resentencing of justice.

search warrants. The new guidance for allows the CCSAO to better

Senate Bill 2129 went into effect

understand the accuracy of

on January 1, 2022 and allows

information provided by police and

prosecutors, at their discretion, to

informants, and protect residents

motion to resentence incarcerated

from inappropriate intrusion. A

persons whose original sentence

new digital database tracks search

no longer advances the interests of

warrant requests throughout

justice.

the process, including the details presented for issuance, whether it

The Resentencing Initiative builds on

was carried out, and the evidence

State’s Attorney Foxx’s commitment

found.

to enact criminal justice reforms that are based on science, data, and the evolution of justice.

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Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

Com mun ity Accountability, Collaboration, Fairness, Integrity & Respect.

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Community Engagement

To help advance our mission and vision for a safer Cook County, establishing meaningful relationships with businesses, leaders, organizations, residents and other stakeholders in the community is essential. Our Community Engagement Team continuously secures our footprint in the community by spearheading grassroots initiatives centered in education, economic development, youth advancement, intervention and prevention services, and more.

Community Leadership Awards 2022

State’s Attorney Foxx annually observes national cultural awareness months by honoring notable Cook County leaders for their exemplary work in community services, youth empowerment, and social justice for the betterment of Cook County and its residents.

2022 Honorees Asian American Community Leadership Award •

Honorable Sanju Oommen Green, Associate Judge

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Grace Chan McKibben

C.F. Stradford Award in observance of Black History Month •

Cook County Public Defender Sharone R. Mitchell, Jr.

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Honorable Erica L. Reddick, Circuit Judge

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Cheryl Graves, Founder of the Community Justice For Youth Institute

El Humanitario Award in observance of Hispanic Heritage Month •

Honorable Eric M. Sauceda, Associate Judge

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Celena Roldán, CEO, American Red Cross of Illinois

Pride Recognition Award in observance of Pride Month •

Honorable Stephanie K Miller, Associate Judge

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Kirk Williamson, Renown Art Director & Creative

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Jay Paul Deratany, Founder of Deratany & Kosner in Chicago 26

Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

T98 participants in the inaugural 2022 CCSAO Citizens Academy, Youth Edition.

Citizens Academy, Youth Edition

The CCSAO’s Citizens Academy, Youth Edition program launched in 2022 with TA98 as its first ever participant. TA98 is a local social services non-profit that combats unemployment among 18-24YOs. Throughout the program, Assistant State’s Attorneys (ASAs) and the CCSAO community engagement team provided the group with weekly, one-on-one topic discussions on prosecution and operations within the Cook County Justice System.

Weekly course topics include: •

Juvenile 101: A functional overview of the juvenile proceedings process.

•

Law of Accountability: A deep dive into felony vs. misdemeanor.

•

Cyber Safety: A discussion on the relationship between technology and the law.

•

Mock Trial: Youth will engage in case study mock trial.

Program registration is available anytime throughout the year. Interested groups should email SAOCommunityEngagement@CookCountyIL.gov for details.

“I liked being able to see myself in the ASAs that I interacted with. It was cool to hear their journeys and learn how similar their backgrounds are to mine.”

Feedback from a 2022 participant in the Citizens Academy, Youth Edition.

Accountability, Collaboration, Fairness, Integrity & Respect.

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Keeping Up with Kim

In 2022, the Community Engagement Team coordinated a series of community-talk events titled, Keeping Up with Kim. The events included keynotes, audience Q & A, and panel discussions featuring State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, community leaders and public officials.

The series of community-based conversations enabled residents to meet State’s Attorney Foxx and have their voices amplified in our mission to create a safer and more equitable Cook County. The initiative has become a integral part of the Office’s continued community engagement strategy and is thriving in 2023.

Communities Reached During the 2022 Community-Talk Series •

Chicago Heights, IL

•

Maywood, IL

•

Pilsen, Chicago

•

South Shore, Chicago

1K In 2022, State’s Attorney Foxx and the CCSAO engaged with over 1,000 residents through the ‘Keeping Up with Kim’ community-talk events.

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Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

Community Justice Centers

Community Justice Centers (CJCs) were founded on the principle that prosecutors have a responsibility not only to prosecute cases but to solve public safety problems, prevent crime and improve the quality of life for communities. Each CJC is staffed with an administrator, community liaison and Assistant State’s Attorney who work together to prevent crime through the presentation of seminars, workshops and speaking engagements to inform and educate citizens on crime-related issues.

CJC Locations Community Justice Center, Central 715 W. Maxwell Street

In Spring 2022, CJC-South staff, pictured here, partnered with Phalanx Family Services to offer a positive outlet for students on spring break

Chicago, IL 60607

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Community Justice Center, North 5333 N. Western Avenue Chicago, IL 60625 Community Justice Center, South 16501 Kedzie Avenue

In 2022, CJCs engaged with

Markham, IL 60428

the community over 900 times at various events, volunteer opportunities, and partnership

Community Justice Center, West 5100 W. Harrrison Steet

events with local business owners, law enforcement agencies,

Chicago, IL 60644

churches and charities, youth orgs, and social service agencies.

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Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

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www.CookCountyStatesAttorney.org

Cover Photo Credit: Cook County Sheriff’s Office