Read more about the article University officials delay in forwarding sex-related crimes to policeDarrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access
An emergency phone on campus on April 6.

University officials delay in forwarding sex-related crimes to police

University officials neglected to forward student reports of sex offenses to university police for months, despite the requirement that all sex crimes be reported immediately, according to a CU-CitizenAccess and The Daily Illini analysis and interviews with the police department.

Continue ReadingUniversity officials delay in forwarding sex-related crimes to police
Read more about the article Clery Act numbers lag behind reported sex crimes on campusDarrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access
The Take Back the Night march heads west on Green Street in Urbana on April 6.

Clery Act numbers lag behind reported sex crimes on campus

Officials have long said that sex offenses are underreported to authorities on campus, just as they are nationwide. But it has not been apparent that University officials are unable to track the number of sex-related crimes reported to them.

Continue ReadingClery Act numbers lag behind reported sex crimes on campus
Read more about the article Mass emails few, far between reported sex crimesDarrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess
An emergency phone at First and Kirby in Champaign on April 6.

Mass emails few, far between reported sex crimes

For three years, the University of Illinois campus police failed to send out mass email alerts on sex-related crimes, despite requirements to do so by the U.S. Department of Education, according to a CU-CitizenAccess and The Daily Illini analysis of police records.

Continue ReadingMass emails few, far between reported sex crimes
Read more about the article $1 million lawsuit filed against Champaign County for death of inmate Toya FrazierDarrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess.org
A common area between pods at the Champaign County satellite jail in east Urbana on March 11, 2013.

$1 million lawsuit filed against Champaign County for death of inmate Toya Frazier

The lawsuit was filed on Dec. 1 by Frazier’s sister Jacqueline Jones against the county, Sheriff Dan Walsh and four medical and correctional staff members. It demands damages of $1 million.

Continue Reading$1 million lawsuit filed against Champaign County for death of inmate Toya Frazier
Read more about the article New court documents show top Champaign officials knew about problem officer before excessive force incidents
Screenshot of the latest City of Champaign filing in an excessive force lawsuit filed by Precious Jackson.

New court documents show top Champaign officials knew about problem officer before excessive force incidents

Top Champaign officials had met with concerned citizens about the conduct of former police officer Matt Rush as far back as 2012 – well before four incidents that led to excessive force lawsuits, new documents filed in court Wednesday show.

Continue ReadingNew court documents show top Champaign officials knew about problem officer before excessive force incidents
Read more about the article Bikes stolen on campus seldom recoveredDarrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess.org
Matt Crosby, manager of Neutral Cycles, works on a bike by the map of bike thefts in the shop on campus in Champaign on Monday, March 28, 2016.

Bikes stolen on campus seldom recovered

If a bike is stolen from a University of Illinois student on the Urbana-Champaign campus, there is little chance the bike will be recovered. In fact, 95 bikes worth about $27,000 in total were reported stolen in 2015 and only 16 — about $3,600 worth — were recovered, according to university police.

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Read more about the article Local police battle domestic violence calls; services scarce for victimsDarrell Hoemann
Isak Griffiths, executive director of Courage Connection and Chris Anglin, founder of Safefield Consultants with the website for his firm on Friday, May 22, 2015.

Local police battle domestic violence calls; services scarce for victims

On April 17, Jeremy Irons of Urbana was sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated domestic battery and intimidation. He had smashed his girlfriend’s head against the interior of her car until she passed out and then later choked her and threatened her by saying he might go to get a gun.

Continue ReadingLocal police battle domestic violence calls; services scarce for victims
Read more about the article Domestic violence task force on ‘hiatus’Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access
Lisa Little, a court advocate with Courage Connection at Lincoln Square on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Domestic violence task force on ‘hiatus’

Johnathan Hettinger/For CU-CitizenAccess.org --Despite hundreds of domestic violence arrests each year in Champaign and Urbana, a task force formed to address the issue has…

Continue ReadingDomestic violence task force on ‘hiatus’
Read more about the article Gov’t Watch: Lack of pre-trial release program halts progress at county jailsDarrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess.org
A common area between pods at the Champaign County satellite jail in east Urbana on March 11, 2013.

Gov’t Watch: Lack of pre-trial release program halts progress at county jails

By Klaudia Dukala/For CU-CitizenAccess.org -- When consultant Alan Kalmanoff was conducting his assessment on the Champaign County jails, he noticed inmates with mental health problems…

Continue ReadingGov’t Watch: Lack of pre-trial release program halts progress at county jails
Read more about the article Gov’t Watch: Despite studies and proposals, county jails see little improvementsDarrell Hoemann/The News-Gazette
One of the pods. Photos at the Champaign County satellite jail jail in east Urbana on Monday, March 11, 2013. File photo.

Gov’t Watch: Despite studies and proposals, county jails see little improvements

After more than 10 years of debate and studies of the defects of the downtown Champaign County jail, county officials still have no clear plan to replace it.

Continue ReadingGov’t Watch: Despite studies and proposals, county jails see little improvements