The harsh penalties for possession of marijuana in Illinois have recently come under fire for a number of reasons. Many believe that charging individuals for misdemeanor marijuana possession, which is the leading arrest category in Chicago, is a waste of police time and tax dollars. Across the country, attitudes towards marijuana are shifting in favor of decriminalization or, in the cases of Colorado and Washington, legalization. Amidst these changing attitudes and the controversy over disproportionate drug crime sentencing, Chicago mayor [...]