Illinois Public Media News

In a report filed in federal court earlier this week, court-appointed monitor Dr. Pablo Stewart said he’s “absolutely convinced” mentally ill inmates are abused by staff at the Pontiac Correctional Center. He said the abusive behavior is inexcusable—but it’s also important to understand the context for it if there's to be any hope for real change.

On a recent Tuesday afternoon, a few high school students are measuring and cutting siding. They’re building a house in the trades class at the Capital Area Career Center in Springfield and learning construction skills, like putting on a roof or installing a window.

Smoking looks a lot different these days. It’s been on the decline, due to restrictions at work and in bars and restaurants. But there is one segment—teenagers who use e-cigarettes—that is growing fast. And health experts are worried about the consequences.

A new report published by a national non-profit finds that Illinois prisons are holding about 17,000 more people than they were designed to house.

On The 21st: Ten states and Washington D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana. Is Illinois next in line? We’ll dive into what’s next if the legislature takes up the issue next year. And after seven years, the publication Rookie Mag has come to an end. How is it being remembered? But first, last month a scientist in China said that he used a gene-editing technique called CRISPR on two babies and that those babies have already been born. We check in with U of I’s Rachel Whitaker on what CRISPR is, and why so many scientists are upset about how it was used.