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Lakeidra Chavis is a staff writer for The Marshall Project. She has written extensively on gun violence and gun enforcement in Chicago, as well as Black suicides, gang structures and the opioid crisis. Her work currently focuses on juvenile justice. She previously reported at ProPublica Illinois and for NPR stations in Chicago and Alaska. Lakeidra was a 2021 Livingston Award finalist. She lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Phone (212) 803-5272
Email lchavis@themarshallproject.org
Twitter @lakeidrachavis
Signs lie on the ground as a person hovers over one on the left side of the photo, and another person holds one with a gloved hand. A sign in the center reads: "Justice for Sandra Birchmore", and shows a picture of Sandra, a White young woman with brown hair and red-rimmed glasses.
Feature August 30
How a Massachusetts Cop Allegedly Groomed, Controlled and Killed Sandra Birchmore
Matthew Farwell met her in a police Explorer program. Prosecutors say he abused her for years before she became pregnant and he killed her.
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A photo illustration shows the cover and black-and-white pages of “Rights in Conflict,” a book more commonly known as the Walker Report.
Looking Back August 14
How the 1968 DNC in Chicago Devolved into ‘Unrestrained and Indiscriminate Police Violence’
As protesters prepare for the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next week, a half-century old report provides lessons for preventing chaos.
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Vice President Kamala Harris, an Indian and Black woman with medium skin tone wearing a black suit, looks to the left while holding a microphone. She is sitting on a chair in front of three American flags.
Election 2024 July 21
5 Things to Know About Kamala Harris’ Criminal Justice Record
Here’s where Vice President Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor, stands on important criminal justice issues.
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People gathered in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 4, 2023 to protest a nationwide settlement with Purdue Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of OxyContin.
Closing Argument July 13
How a Supreme Court Ruling Could Affect a Case Involving Police Abuse of Youth
Another court must now decide how the landmark ruling will impact the Boy Scouts abuse settlement, which involves victims of police sexual abuse.
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A photo collage in black and white and blue tones shows, from left, an excerpt of a transcript that reads: “I hereby submit the following report into the matter of Sandra Birchmore, and into the possible violations…procedure, rules and regulations of the Stoughton Pol…”; a sign reading “Stoughton”, the silhouette of a police officer; the words “Sandra Birchmore”; an excerpt of a transcript that reads “The relationship continue…many years and included…and communications while…was on duty for the Stoug…Police Department.”; and a photo of Sandra Birchmore.
Feature May 1
In This Police Youth Program, a Trail of Sexual Abuse Across the U.S.
Explorer posts, overseen by the Boy Scouts, are supposed to foster an interest in policing. They have faced nearly 200 allegations of misconduct.
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Two students walk past a university building.
Closing Argument February 24
Knock, Knock! Who’s There? The Police.
What happens when a joke carries criminal charges?
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A large group of people stand in a circle on the sidewalk near an intersection, holding candles for a vigil.
Closing Argument December 2
What’s a Hate Crime? Depends on Where You Live
A hodgepodge of state and local laws makes some violence a hate crime in some places, but not in others.
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A barbed wire fence surrounds a tan-colored building.
Closing Argument September 23
Juvenile Detention Centers Face One Scandal After Another
Despite repeated efforts at reform, allegations of mistreatment mount at youth facilities across the country.
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The mayor of Baltimore, a Black man in a gray suit and a gold-colored tie, stands at a podium during a news conference in May while a Black woman in light-colored dress stands beside him with her arms clasped in front of her. A mixed group of people is behind them.
News June 29, 2023
A Dozen Cities Set Youth Curfews This Year, Even Though They Don’t Reduce Crime
Texas recently banned juvenile curfews, while cities like Baltimore and Memphis have doubled-down on them.
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A close-up shot of three peoples' hands at a table. A medium-skin person is writing on a piece of paper. Also on the table, there is a black pistol with a red tag, a water container, hand sanitizer, a blue lanyard with the words "Bureau of Organized Crime," a phone ,and the hands of a light-skinned person unloading a silver pocket pistol.
Analysis May 3
How We Reported on Rising Gun Possession Arrests
The Marshall Project used arrest data in Chicago and other cities to understand who was arrested for gun possession and how the number of arrests changed over time.
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