Illinois and nationwide, Black and Latinx people are more likely to be incarcerated than white people. This disparity is identified as a significant driver in mass incarceration and results from over policing of people of color, who are more likely to be charged with more serious crimes, more likely to be pressured to plea and more likely to be sentenced to time in prison. The starting point for disparity begins with unnecessary interactions with law enforcement, that include the intensive use of surveillance tools in communities of color and higher rates of traffic and pedestrian stops for Black and Latinx people.
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Do you believe that people of color in Illinois and Cook County are disproportionately incarcerated? What role, if any, do you believe that the State’s Attorney plays in the disproportionate incarceration of people of color? What specific steps will you/your office take to reduce the disproportionate incarceration of people of color in your first term?
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As State’s Attorney, what policies would you implement to address the other forms of racial bias that permeate our criminal legal system?
CANDIDATE RESPONSES