"Tough on crime" was once a winning strategy. Now it's becoming a liability.

The formal request says Chicago States Attorney Anita Alvarez is too cozy with police to be trusted with the first-degree murder case.

Let's cut to the chase: Laquan McDonald's shooting and video are the wake up call to all Chicagoans that we need a New Chicago. A new mayor and a new city council.

Slivers of change amidst substantial continuity illustrate the ongoing need to fight for a more just and open city whose streets far too often have been soaked with the blood of young black men, including one whose life literally went up in puffs of smoke.

Limited services, understaffing and poor data keeping are all criticisms being pointed at the Cook County state's attorney via a new study examining the effectiveness of a county program offering alternatives to incarceration for first time felons.