7 Shocking Ways The Chicago Torture Justice Center Is Still Fighting For Justice In 2025
The Chicago Torture Justice Center (CTJC) remains a beacon of hope and a powerful engine for systemic change in 2025, over a decade after the city was forced to reckon with its dark history of police violence. Born from the historic reparations ordinance for survivors of police torture under former Commander Jon Burge, the CTJC is far more than a historical footnote; it is a dynamic, community-based organization actively engaged in providing trauma-informed healing services and leading crucial legislative campaigns today. The center's mission is fundamentally about addressing the profound traumas of police violence and institutionalized racism, moving beyond mere compensation to foster genuine community wellness and accountability.
As of late December 2025, the CTJC is at the forefront of several critical battles, from defending the vital Illinois Torture Inquiry Relief Commission (TIRC) to launching new programs that center the voices of formerly incarcerated writers. Its work is a continuous, survivor-centered effort to heal the wounds inflicted by decades of systemic police misconduct and to organize for new, more just systems.
The Foundational Pillars: History and Mission of the Chicago Torture Justice Center
The Chicago Torture Justice Center (CTJC) is unique in the nation, established as part of the landmark 2015 Reparations Ordinance passed by the City of Chicago. This ordinance was a direct response to the decades-long pattern of police torture—primarily against Black men—carried out by Jon Burge and officers under his command between 1972 and 1991.
The reparations package was historic, offering financial compensation, free city college tuition, and, critically, the creation of a specialized healing center. The CTJC is that center, and its work is guided by three core principles:
- Healing and Wellness: Providing trauma-informed clinical healing services, which include mental health support, case management, and access to wellness programs for survivors of police torture and their families.
- Reentry Support: Offering comprehensive case management and support to meet the complex needs of survivors as they reenter society, often after decades of wrongful incarceration.
- Organizing and Advocacy: Working in community to challenge the systems that enabled the torture and to advocate for new policies and legislation that promote justice and accountability.
7 Critical Ways the CTJC is Shaping Justice in 2025
The CTJC's work is ongoing and multifaceted. Here are the most recent and impactful initiatives the center is spearheading as of late 2025, demonstrating its role as a leader in the fight against police violence and for restorative justice.
1. Defending the Illinois Torture Inquiry Relief Commission (TIRC)
A major focus for the CTJC in 2024 and 2025 has been the defense of the Illinois Torture Inquiry Relief Commission (TIRC). The TIRC is a crucial state agency that investigates claims of torture by incarcerated individuals, often leading to the exoneration and release of survivors.
The Center’s newsletters and advocacy work have highlighted that the TIRC is "under attack," requiring sustained organizing and political pressure to protect its integrity and function. The CTJC sees the TIRC as a vital mechanism for justice and is actively mobilizing support to ensure it can continue its work without political interference.
2. The Campaign to Abolish the Illinois Murder Registry
In a significant legislative campaign launched in 2022 and continuing into 2025, the CTJC is working to abolish the Illinois Murder Registry. This registry disproportionately affects individuals who were wrongfully convicted or coerced into false confessions through police torture.
The Center argues that all survivors of police torture in Chicago who have not been fully exonerated or pardoned should be removed from this punitive registry, which creates lifelong barriers to housing, employment, and social integration. This campaign is a key part of their broader reentry support efforts.
3. Working to Free Incarcerated Torture Survivors
The core of the CTJC's advocacy remains the direct work to free survivors of police torture who are still incarcerated. This involves a multi-pronged strategy that includes legal support, public awareness campaigns, and direct organizing.
The Center specifically focuses on individuals who were tortured by Jon Burge and his ring of officers, tirelessly working on multiple strategies to secure their release and ensure their stories are heard. Their efforts are a direct continuation of the fight for accountability that led to the reparations ordinance.
4. Resilience Play Reading Series and Arts Healing
In a powerful example of their trauma-informed healing approach, the CTJC recently received a grant from Illinois Humanities for its Envisioning Justice Grants program. This funding supports a "Resilience Play Reading" of theatrical works.
The project specifically features works by formerly incarcerated writers. This initiative uses the arts as a medium for healing, allowing survivors and community members to process trauma, reclaim their narratives, and advocate for change through creative expression.
5. Enhanced Mental Health Support and Clinical Services
The CTJC continually enhances its clinical services, which are the backbone of its survivor-centered approach. These services include trauma-informed mental health counseling, case management, and access to a broad scope of wellness programs.
In conjunction with other organizations like the Organized Communities Against Deportations (OCAD), the CTJC is involved in projects that enhance mental health support for former detainees and those impacted by police violence, demonstrating a commitment to holistic, long-term healing.
6. Community Organizing and Policy Advocacy
Beyond individual cases, the CTJC is deeply involved in broader community organizing to address the root causes of police violence. The center advocates for systemic reforms in the Chicago Police Department and the criminal justice system at large.
Their work is rooted in the belief that true justice requires not just individual relief but a fundamental transformation of the institutions that perpetuate racialized violence and trauma. They are a powerful voice in the ongoing civil liberties and police accountability discussions in Chicago.
7. Expanding Reach Through Digital Engagement and Newsletters
To keep its community and supporters informed, the CTJC regularly publishes newsletters detailing its most recent work. The July/August 2025 and October/November 2024 newsletters highlight ongoing campaigns, events, and fundraising efforts, such as the sale of merchandise where proceeds directly fund healing services.
These updates, including discussions on "Politicized Grief" and TIRC updates, ensure transparency and mobilize public support, demonstrating that the fight for justice for Jon Burge survivors and all victims of police misconduct is a continuous, evolving movement.
The Enduring Legacy of Reparations and the Path Forward
The Chicago Torture Justice Center stands as a living testament to the power of community organizing and the necessity of reparations. While the initial ordinance provided a measure of justice, the CTJC's ongoing work proves that the path to true healing and systemic reform is long and requires constant vigilance.
By providing essential clinical healing services and leading crucial advocacy efforts like the fight against the Illinois Murder Registry and the defense of the TIRC, the CTJC is ensuring that the survivors of police torture are not forgotten. Their survivor-centered approach emphasizes healing in community, offering a powerful model for how cities can move from acknowledging historical trauma to actively building a more just and equitable future.
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