The University of Chicago Law School Faculty Blog

On the Air: Clinical Professors Stone and Futterman Give Radio Interviews

Clinical Professors of Law Craig Futterman and Randolph Stone were recently featured on Chicago radio stations discussing some of the issues that drive their clinical programs.

Stone (right), who directs the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic's Criminal and Juvenile Justice Project, appeared on WBEZ's 848 program last week to discuss a report by the Illinois Coalition for the Fair Sentencing of Children that argues against sentences of life without parole for juvenile offenders. You can listen to Prof. Stone and the rest of the program on WBEZ's website.

Futterman (left), leads the Mandel Clinic's Civil Rights and Police Accountability Project. He appeared in a report from WGN's "Higher Standards" series, discussing the investigation of abuses by Chicago police officers and the city's recent ordinance that moves the Office of Professional Standards out from under the control of the Police Department itself. You can listen to the report or read a transcript on the WGN Radio website.

Futterman Releases Study of Chicago Police Department's "Broken System"

"The Use of Statistical Evidence to Address Police Supervisory and Disciplinary Practices: The Chicago Police Department’s Broken System," a study authored by Craig Futterman, Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Civil Rights and Police Accountability Project at the Edwin F. Mandel Legal Aid Clinic, Clinical Lecturer Melissa Mather, and Melanie Miles, a recent law graduate, was released yesterday. The study presents a comprehensive statistical analysis of the Chicago Police Department’s "broken system" for investigating complaints of civilian abuse. Among other findings, the study notes that:

• Excessive force complaints are 94 percent less likely to be sustained by the CPD than they are by other large municipal police departments across the country.
• In more than 85% of cases, the accused officers are not even interviewed beyond filling out a brief form.
• A relatively small percentage of the force is responsible for most of the abuse complaints. During the period May 2001 - May 2006, 10,387 officers had 0 to 3 complaints. Another 2,451 officers had 4 to 10 complaints. 662 officers had more than 10 complaints. These 662 "repeaters" were named in 10,733 complaints.

The study has received a good deal of media attention, with articles in the New York Times and Chicago Tribune and stories on Chicago Public Radio and Fox News Chicago.

You might also want to read this profile of Futterman and the project he leads from The University of Chicago Magazine.