…but says nothing about the over 36,000 youth arrested in Chicago
In a press release issued late Sunday afternoon, the Cook County Bar Association (CCBA), the oldest association of African-American judges, elected officials, lawyers, law students and legal professionals in the nation issued a statement expressing condolences to the families of Alton Sterling, and Philando Castile, and condemning violence against the police.
In their statement, they said that “The police shootings, and subsequent protests indicate that reforms to the criminal justice system need to be made. In addition, the relationship between communities, in particular, the Black community, and law enforcement must be strengthened. The CCBA is committed to strengthening those relationships.”
However, the Chicago Defender published an alarming story earlier this month on July 6, titled “Hey Justice Department: Look, Over Here” in which we analyzed the astronomical number of youth arrested each year in Chicago, the race of the youth, and attorney representation. We asked a simple question: How could our judicial system starting with CPD sell off the futures of an entire generation — and nobody says a word?
Their press release goes on to state “The Cook County Bar Association is committed to educating our community on navigating the criminal justice system…” If the CCBA is interested in educating the community, then why not provide these stats to the public so they can begin to question why they’re so high? Further, the community and the Cook County States Attorney office can begin to question why the majority of the teens arrested are Black and Brown?
In case you missed the story, click here:https://chicagodefender.com/2016/07/06/hey-justice-department-look-over-here/
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