Northwestern University, Pritzker School of Law

Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law (Northwestern), established in 1859, is among the top law schools in the country. This award supports a collaborative effort, led by Northwestern and the Center for Criminal Justice Research, Policy and Practice at Loyola University, to engage local justice stakeholders in the development of a comprehensive Cook County Justice Audit. The project design and plans involve a continuing, systematic process for gathering, analyzing and visually mapping basic empirical data on criminal justice system functioning, to be housed in an updateable web-based information system and used to facilitate data-driven policy analysis within and among local criminal justice agencies. This award enables Northwestern and its partners to complete the work of securing stakeholder commitments, acquiring datasets, and developing governance structures necessary for the full launch of the Justice Audit.

To support the Children and Family Justice Center for coordinating Illinois' participation in the Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network as part of Illinois Models for Change (over two years).

In support of a collaborative effort by the University and the Cook County Juvenile Probation Department to administer mental health and substance abuse screening to all young people processed by the Department (over two years).

In support of a conference and electronic journal commemorating the 40th anniversary of the filing of the Gautreaux case.

In support of the Cook County Juvenile Court Clinic and its evaluation (over two years).