The Stairwell

You know how this story ends: a fierce struggle between two men, a police commander shot dead outside the Thompson Center. But what you don’t know is how it begins.

How Court Costs Trap People in Poverty—and How Lawmakers Are Trying to Fix It

Illinois residents who move through either the criminal or civil court system can end up with thousands of dollars in fees owed to dozens of agencies—which carry burdens beyond the financial. But activists and politicians are trying to lift the burden so they can move on.

Photos: March For Our Lives in Chicago

Thousands of people gathered in Union Park on Saturday for the youth-led protest. Here’s what it looked like.

Garry McCarthy’s Run For Mayor Will Be Fascinating (For Reasons Besides the Obvious)

He’s a longshot, but if he puts policies to his desire to stop school closings and move money from rich to poor neighborhoods, he’ll make it interesting even if it’s not close.

What We Can Do About Crime in Chicago

It’s severe, but it’s not as widespread as it might seem from the media. Three Northwestern professors break down the issue and its possible solutions.

A Second City

Life expectancy in West Garfield Park is 16 years less than in the Loop. Now, a new initiative promises to reduce that gap by half by 2030. What will it take to reduce the gap?

Voices from the West Side: DeAndre Turner

The 23-year-old construction trainee in West Garfield Park explains how easy it is to get pulled into a gang—and how he got out.

Rush Hospital Wants to Tackle the West Side “Death Gap.” Will It Work?

The huge health system’s goal to reduce massive health disparities in the city is unprecedented. To succeed, it needs to undo decades of racist policies and disinvestment.

Mothers on Both Sides of Chicago Violence Find Sisterhood in Loss

Cabrini Green

Thirty-seven years ago, Mayor Jane Byrne moved into the Cabrini-Green housing project to draw attention to the violence and poverty there. It would become one of the most famous—and factious—publicity stunts in the city’s history.