Chronic understaffing at DCFS and an unimplemented state law are leaving some childcare centers short-staffed, turning away kids and in some cases risking their funding.

llinois lawmakers give big boost to movie industry while academics claim the Hollywood giveaway is a bad deal for taxpayers

Illinois expanded its film tax credits to attract productions, but critics question whether taxpayers get a good return.

At least 85 people died while detained in Cook County Jail between 2019 and 2025. That’s more than a third of all jail-related deaths statewide during that time.

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The largest known database of conditions in Illinois county jails: inspections, incidents and deaths in custody across all 102 counties.

Chronic understaffing at DCFS and an unimplemented state law are leaving some childcare centers short-staffed, turning away kids and in some cases risking their funding.

Chronic understaffing at DCFS and an unimplemented state law are leaving some childcare centers short-staffed, turning away kids and in some cases risking their funding.

A new complaint filed in federal bankruptcy court claims Suzie B. Wilson and her sister, Swedlana Dass, used more than 40 shell companies to make millions in a real estate scheme first uncovered by Il...

Use of pepperball guns in Illinois jails is not the norm. Of the 90 jails, 11 reported using them in recent years, and 9 others have them on hand. But one, the state’s second-largest county jail, stan...

An Illinois Answers Project analysis revealed that 63 people who died in jails were missing from state data on in-custody fatalities. Now the state is auditing its records.

Illinois county jails report thousands of “extraordinary or unusual” incidents every year, but the state doesn’t keep track. So we stepped in to shed light on what’s happening inside.

Nearly 70 properties are in receivership after Jiazhao ‘Frank’ Chen defaulted on at least $119 million in real estate loans. A proposed landlord registry could help the city track irresponsible proper...

Nearly 70 properties are in receivership after Jiazhao ‘Frank’ Chen defaulted on at least $119 million in real estate loans. A proposed landlord registry could help the city track irresponsible proper...

A City Council member’s office complained to city officials twice in one week that residents were griping about odors from the business.

A City Council member’s office complained to city officials twice in one week that residents were griping about odors from the business.

Northwest suburban data centers had nearly $2 billion knocked off their taxable property values, an analysis shows.

Northwest suburban data centers had nearly $2 billion knocked off their taxable property values, an analysis shows.

Northwest suburban data centers had nearly $2 billion knocked off their taxable property values, an analysis shows.

The firms tied to former Ald. Isaac "Ike" Carothers and former Blagojevich administration official Bamani Obadele have gotten campaign business from Gov. JB Pritzker and in the hotly contested race fo...

The firms tied to former Ald. Isaac "Ike" Carothers and former Blagojevich administration official Bamani Obadele have gotten campaign business from Gov. JB Pritzker and in the hotly contested race fo...

Carlos Baker was referred to a program that subjects officers to intense oversight. But Baker wasn’t enrolled before he shot Officer Krystal Rivera because a supervisor didn’t respond to an email.

The revelations from a female lobbyist and an ex-Benton staffer not only shed new light on the scandal surrounding the former two-term lawmaker, they also echo one of the most turbulent chapters in Il...

Carlos Baker was referred to a program that puts officers under intense oversight. Failing could mean “severe” discipline or firing. But Baker wasn't enrolled before he shot Officer Krystal Rivera bec...

Carlos Baker was referred to a program that subjects officers to intense oversight. But Baker wasn’t enrolled before he shot Officer Krystal Rivera because a supervisor didn’t respond to an email.

City departments have turned to community groups to help break through cultural barriers that have contributed to wide gaps in tree coverage.

Though the federal agents often wore masks concealing their identities, Block Club Chicago identified 271 of them. Many were trained specifically for crowd control, yet reported using force more than ...

City departments have turned to community groups to help break through cultural barriers that have contributed to wide gaps in tree coverage.

The hopes, dreams and tragedies of people who can't stop betting

People in Illinois lost more than $7.7 billion gambling last year.  As lawmakers increasingly bet on gambling to pay the state’s bills, they have only spare change to treat compulsive gamblers

The hopes, dreams and tragedies of people who can't stop betting

The hopes, dreams and tragedies of people who can't stop betting

People in Illinois lost more than $7.7 billion gambling last year.  As lawmakers increasingly bet on gambling to pay the state’s bills, they have only spare change to treat compulsive gamblers

New public data for redistricting and other uses may be reduced as Trump officials limit the ways the Census Bureau can protect people's privacy when it releases statistics.

Hundreds of therapists are leaving the program each year, causing some families to miss out on services they’re legally entitled to.