The Chicago Torture Justice Center (CTJC) is a left-of-center organization that advocates for reparations for victims of police torture, including individuals as well as their families. The organization was originally founded to seek compensation for victims of Jon Burge, a former commander in the Chicago Police Department who is believed to have obtained 118 forced confessions between 1972 and 1991 by employing physical and psychological torture tactics. ¹

Financials

From 2020 through 2022, CTJC reported that it received under $50,000 in contributions annually. ² In 2018, CTJC reported that it received $187,943 in contributions, ³ incurred $199,506 in expenses, ⁴ held no assets, and owed $17,165 in liabilities. ⁵

Background

Chicago Torture Justice Center was launched in 2017, ⁶ though the organization had operated under the name “Community Center for Survivors” since 2015. ⁷ The organization was originally founded to seek reparations for victims of Jon Burge, a former commander in the Chicago Police Department who is believed to have obtained 118 forced confessions between 1972 and 1991 by employing physical and psychological torture tactics. ⁸

Today, the organization has shifted its focus to include general reparations for African American communities in Chicago, ⁹ support for the Black Lives Matter movement, ^{10 11} and policies that seek to defund police departments. ¹²

Reparations Policy

In 2015, Chicago Torture Justice Center’s predecessor organization lobbied the City Council of Chicago to pass an ordinance providing reparations for the victims of police torture like that which was exposed as occurring under police commander Jon Burge. ¹³

The reparations package included the construction of a memorial for victims of police torture to be constructed on the grounds of a removed Christopher Columbus statue located in Chicago’s Grant Park, ¹⁴ free higher education for all victims of torture(including their immediate families and grandchildren in the City College community college system of Chicago, $5 million in fiscal reparations divided among 57 identified survivors, and mandatory education in the Chicago public school system about the history of torture within the Chicago Police Department. ¹⁵

Justice for Families

Justice for Families is a Chicago Torture Justice Center program, and prior to 2019 a working group of Black Lives Matter Chicago that seeks to lobby for general reparations, including reparations for individuals and families that are alleged victims of police violence. ¹⁶

Leadership

Aislinn Pulley is the executive director of CTJC. In addition to leading the organization, she is a founding member of the Chicago chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement. ¹⁷

1. Baker, Peter C. “In Chicago, reparations aren’t just an idea. They’re the law.” The Guardian. March 8, 2019. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/mar/08/chicago-reparations-won-police-torture-school-curriculum
2. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-N(e-Postcard)). Chicago Torture Justice Center 2020—2022.
3. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-EZ). Chicago Torture Justice Center. Part I, Line 1. 2018.
4. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-EZ). Chicago Torture Justice Center. Part I, Line 17. 2018.
5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-EZ). Chicago Torture Justice Center. Part I, Line 21. 2018.
6. Baker, Peter C. “In Chicago, reparations aren’t just an idea. They’re the law.” The Guardian. March 8, 2019. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/mar/08/chicago-reparations-won-police-torture-school-curriculum
7. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-EZ-Schedule O). Chicago Torture Justice Center. Supplement Information to form 990 or 990-EZ. 2016.
8. Baker, Peter C. “In Chicago, reparations aren’t just an idea. They’re the law.” The Guardian. March 8, 2019. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/mar/08/chicago-reparations-won-police-torture-school-curriculum
9. “Mission & Values.” Chicago Torture Justice Center. https://www.chicagotorturejustice.org/mission-values
10. “Aislinn Pulley.” Chicago Magazine. Chicago Magazine. November 17, 2020. Accessed December 20, 2024 https://www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/december-2020/chicagoans-of-the-year-2020/aislinn-pulley/
11. “Organizing.” Chicago Torture Justice Center. https://www.chicagotorturejustice.org/organizing
12. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Community Center for Survivors. 2015.
13. Dianne Feeley and Linda Loew. “Reparations for Police Torture.” Against the Current. July-August 2021, Volume 213. https://againstthecurrent.org/atc213/reparations-for-police-torture/ Accessed January 20, 2024.
14. Liederman, Mack. “City Promises To Finally Build Chicago Torture Justice Memorial, With Help From Private Donors.” Block Club Chicago. January 20, 2023. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/06/20/city-promises-to-finally-build-chicago-torture-justice-memorial-with-help-from-private-donors/
15.  Dianne Feeley and Linda Loew. “Reparations for Police Torture.” Against the Current. July-August 2021, Volume 213. https://againstthecurrent.org/atc213/reparations-for-police-torture/ Accessed January 20, 2024.
16. “Organizing.” Chicago Torture Justice Center. https://www.chicagotorturejustice.org/organizing
17. “Our-Team” Chicago Torture Justice Center. https://www.chicagotorturejustice.org/our-team