Chicago Justice Project

06/20/2026

🚨 BREAKING: CJP has launched a nationwide ShotSpotter Transparency & Research Campaign.
For years, ShotSpotter has shaped policing across the country—but the public has been denied access to the data needed to understand what this technology actually does. So we’re filing open‑records requests with more than 140 police agencies to finally bring this information into the light.

When communities have real data, they have real power.

Follow along as we push for the truth, agency by agency.

06/20/2026

🌟 Join Our Nation Program – Volunteer or Intern for Justice! 🌟

Do you believe in a justice system guided by truth, fairness, and integrity? At CJP, we envision a future where transparency drives real change. Through the power of the Freedom of Information Act and Open Records laws, we break down barriers, expose failures, and illuminate paths toward equity.

As part of our Nation Program, volunteers and interns collaborate on projects that transform raw data into actionable insight—empowering communities and inspiring ethical law enforcement.

✅ Make an impact.
✅ Fight for accountability.
✅ Help shape a justice system built on wisdom and fairness.

📌 Apply today and be the change!
👉 https://f.mtr.cool/vzhqomuqvx

06/19/2026

🚨 NEW PODCAST EPISODE 🚨

Why is it so hard to hold police accountable in the United States?

We sat down with Joanna C. Schwartz (UCLA law professor and author of Shielded: How the Police Became Untouchable) to unpack what’s really going on behind the scenes.
Most people point to qualified immunity as the problem—but that’s only part of the story.

👉 In this conversation, we break down: ✅ Why most police misconduct lawsuits never even reach trial

✅ How courts and legal standards often favor officers
✅ Why internal investigations rarely lead to discipline
✅ Who actually pays when lawsuits succeed (spoiler: not officers)
✅ What real accountability might actually require

💡 The big takeaway:
Police aren’t shielded by just one rule—they’re protected by an entire system.

If you care about policing, civil rights, or how the legal system actually works, this episode is worth your time.

🎧 Listen here: https://f.mtr.cool/ikwipcqouk

💬 Question for you:

Do you think changing one law (like qualified immunity) would make a real difference—or does the whole system need reform?

👇 Drop your thoughts below—we’re curious to hear your perspective.

06/19/2026

After 248 days, the South Bend Police Department finally responded to one of our public records requests—but instead of releasing the record, they sent us a bill to print a single digital document. Not an email. Not a secure upload. A bill.

This record is a contract between SBPD and SoundThinking (ShotSpotter)—a surveillance technology with serious implications for civil rights and community safety. Even more troubling: six additional FOIA requests remain unanswered, all submitted more than eight months ago.
Public records belong to the public. Creating artificial costs, delays, and barriers is not transparency—it’s obstruction. Communities deserve timely access to information, especially when policing technologies affect lives and liberties.

📢 We’re demanding accountability.
📄 We’re pushing for full disclosure.
✊ And we’re not backing down.

Read more and follow this fight here:
👉 https://f.mtr.cool/eqdtnkkkqz

Stay tuned for updates—and stand with us in calling for real transparency.

06/19/2026

🌟 Join Our Nation Program – Volunteer or Intern for Justice! 🌟

Do you believe in a justice system guided by truth, fairness, and integrity? At CJP, we envision a future where transparency drives real change. Through the power of the Freedom of Information Act and Open Records laws, we break down barriers, expose failures, and illuminate paths toward equity.

As part of our Nation Program, volunteers and interns collaborate on projects that transform raw data into actionable insight—empowering communities and inspiring ethical law enforcement.

✅ Make an impact.
✅ Fight for accountability.
✅ Help shape a justice system built on wisdom and fairness.

📌 Apply today and be the change!
👉 https://f.mtr.cool/pkjszaygmd

06/18/2026

After 248 days, the South Bend Police Department finally responded to one of our public records requests—but instead of releasing the record, they sent us a bill to print a single digital document. Not an email. Not a secure upload. A bill.

This record is a contract between SBPD and SoundThinking (ShotSpotter)—a surveillance technology with serious implications for civil rights and community safety. Even more troubling: six additional FOIA requests remain unanswered, all submitted more than eight months ago.
Public records belong to the public. Creating artificial costs, delays, and barriers is not transparency—it’s obstruction. Communities deserve timely access to information, especially when policing technologies affect lives and liberties.

📢 We’re demanding accountability.
📄 We’re pushing for full disclosure.
✊ And we’re not backing down.

Read more and follow this fight here:
👉 https://f.mtr.cool/wfhzefxxcz

Stay tuned for updates—and stand with us in calling for real transparency.

06/18/2026

This is CJP’s response to the recent letter from Chicago broadcast journalists published in the Chicago Tribune. While that letter criticized Trump’s actions, it ignored the media’s own role in creating the climate that enabled them.

For decades, fear of crime has been weaponized in Chicago by politicians seeking votes, justice leaders chasing budgets, and media outlets chasing ratings. The result? Fear-driven policies that fail, shuttered community schools, closed mental health clinics, and $285 million in police misconduct settlements this year alone.

Crime coverage without context distorts reality, fuels fear, and drives punitive responses instead of real solutions. Chicago deserves better. We need evidence-based policies, context-driven reporting, and accountability from our leaders and media.

👉 Read the full blog and join the conversation: https://f.mtr.cool/skjzqmzitg

Chicago's media, politicians, & justice system leaders must stop exploiting violence for their own benefit because it's hurting communities.

06/18/2026

🌟 Join Our Nation Program – Volunteer or Intern for Justice! 🌟

Do you believe in a justice system guided by truth, fairness, and integrity? At CJP, we envision a future where transparency drives real change. Through the power of the Freedom of Information Act and Open Records laws, we break down barriers, expose failures, and illuminate paths toward equity.

As part of our Nation Program, volunteers and interns collaborate on projects that transform raw data into actionable insight—empowering communities and inspiring ethical law enforcement.

✅ Make an impact.
✅ Fight for accountability.
✅ Help shape a justice system built on wisdom and fairness.

📌 Apply today and be the change!
👉 https://f.mtr.cool/tpvxvqmmof