Story thread · 2 reports / 2 sources

People charged with drug crimes, shoplifting have a new path to avoid a conviction in Cook County

suntimes.com · 3hShare

People charged with drug crimes, shoplifting and other nonviolent misdemeanors can now avoid a criminal conviction under a new program being touted by Cook County prosecutors. This week, the Cook County state’s attorney’s office will start allowing defendants in certain low-level cases to complete programming in exchange for having their charges dropped. “By providing services to address challenges such as substance abuse or mental health, we can make it less likely that these individuals will commit more crimes,” Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke said in a statement. “When appropriate, we can hold people accountable while also giving them a real opportunity to avoid future involvement in the criminal justice system.” A form of diversion programming for misdemeanor cases existed prior to the pandemic but fell through the cracks when the courts moved online, according to Emily Cole, who oversees the state’s attorney’s Alternative Prosecution and Sentencing Unit. This new

First report: Cook County State's Attorney's Office launches relocation program for victims and witnesses — wgntv.com, 1d