In March 2024, Cook County voters will select a new Cook County State’s Attorney for the first time in eight years. The race is consequential to those working for a more just and equitable approach to the legal system and to public safety.
Democratic candidates Eileen O’Neill Burke and Clayton Harris III responded to a set of written questions that were crafted with input from a group of organizations that are engaged in creating policy and practice to support reform and safety. Those organizations include: Cabrini Green Legal Aid, Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts, Children's Best Interest Project, Illinois Alliance for Reentry and Justice, Institute For Nonviolence Chicago, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law Bluhm Legal Clinic - Children and Family Justice Center (CFJC), Safer Foundation, Sista I Got You, Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities, Women’s Justice Institute, and the Illinois Justice Project.
The candidates were asked for their positions on everything from transparency in the office to how to address youth engagement in criminal behavior. Their complete answers are linked below.
“The State's Attorney's office plays a crucial role in the legal ecosystem and is responsible for ensuring accountability for alleged offenders while also safeguarding victims’ rights and advocating for public safety. The office upholds the integrity of the legal process and contributes to the overall fairness of the justice system. As State’s Attorney, my goals are clear: to tackle gun violence by collaborating with authorities and targeting illegal gun sales, establish a Restorative Justice Bureau to address root causes of crime by implementing programs that help people become productive members of society, and rebuild our office through advanced training programs for prosecutors.”- Eileen O’Neill Burke, whose full questionnaire can be found here.
“This election is about ensuring justice throughout Cook County and continuing the progress on the road to reform of our criminal legal system. It’s also about ensuring that residents across Cook County feel safe and we help to address the root causes of crime. What’s at stake is continuing the progress we’ve made or going backward toward a system that unfairly targets minority populations and focuses on punishment alone rather than addressing the root causes of crime.” - Clayton Harris III, whose questionnaire can be found here.