The governor signed two bills designed to improve outcomes for Illinois youth who become involved with the criminal justice system.

Gov. Bruce Rauner’s pen writes a storybook ending for a single mom from Decatur.

On Aug. 22, Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law a bill that prevents the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation from using irrelevant criminal convictions as a basis for denying licenses to applicants seeking to work as barbers, cosmetologists, hair braiders, estheticians, nail technicians, roofing business owners or funeral directors.

A recent Illinois Policy Institute-commissioned poll finds 4 in 5 registered Illinois voters – including overwhelming majorities of Republicans, Independents and Democrats – support reforms to reduce the number of nonviolent offenders in prison.

A poll of Illinois registered voters finds 76 percent want to remove occupational licensing barriers for ex-offenders.

A new Illinois Policy Institute report discusses a recent poll showing broad concern about the fairness and effectiveness of Illinois’ criminal-justice system and strong support for reforms to improve it.

Eliminating barriers to opportunity would benefit both ex-offenders and the state of Illinois.

Effective immediately, possession of up to 10 grams of marijuana in Illinois is punishable by a fine, instead of a misdemeanor with possible jail time.

In a July 11 resolution, Chicago City Council’s Committee on Public Safety urged the General Assembly to pass “meaningful sealing reform” to help ex-offenders re-enter the job market and their communities more successfully.

The city of Chicago paid over $146 million in police misconduct and public safety claims in 2013 and 2014, according to the city inspector general’s report.