Anita Alvarez
| Anita Alvarez | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Cook County State's Attorney | |
|
In office December 1, 2008 – December 1, 2016 |
|
| Governor |
Rod Blagojevich Pat Quinn Bruce Rauner |
| Preceded by | Dick Devine |
| Succeeded by | Kim Foxx |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
January 16, 1960 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater |
Loyola University Chicago Illinois Institute of Technology |
Anita Alvarez (born January 16, 1960) is the former State's Attorney for Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alvarez was the first Hispanic woman elected to this position, after being the first Latina to win the Democratic nomination for state attorney of Cook County.
A Chicago native, Alvarez was born and raised in the Pilsen neighborhood. She attended Maria High School and received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University of Chicago. She earned her Law Degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Alvarez has spent her entire legal career in the State’s Attorney’s Office. Alvarez began her career as an Assistant State’s Attorney in 1986. She has argued before the Illinois Appellate Court and tried more than 50 felony jury trials. Prior to entering the race for Cook County State's Attorney, she served as Chief Deputy State’s Attorney; Chief of Staff to the Cook County State's Attorney; Chief of the Special Prosecutions Bureau; Deputy Chief of the Narcotics Bureau, and Supervisor of the Public Integrity Unit. She also spent 3 ½ years in the Gang Crimes Unit where she prosecuted gang-related homicides.
Alvarez was promoted to the Supervisor of the Public Integrity Unit in 1996, where she was responsible for prosecuting city, county, and state employees who committed felonies and violated the public trust. She claimed to have tried police officers on corruption charges. In 1999, she was promoted to Deputy Chief of the Narcotics Bureau where she supervised the prosecution of drug cases as well as long-term narcotics investigations in conjunction with Chicago and suburban police departments.
In 2001, Alvarez tried the case of the People of the State of Illinois v. Patrick Sykes, which was referred to in the media as the "Girl X Case". Alvarez's successful prosecution of Sykes resulted in his conviction for the predatory criminal sexual assault of a 9- year-old-girl who was left paralyzed, blind, without speech and confined to a wheelchair after the brutal attack in the Cabrini Green housing project. Alvarez was elected Cook County State’s Attorney in 2008. She was the first female, first Hispanic and first career prosecutor ever elected to this position.
During her first five years on the job Alvarez has worked to stem the tide of gang and gun violence by drafting a new law that has increased criminal penalties for gang members arrested with guns. Gang members convicted under the new law face a mandatory prison sentence and are no longer eligible for parole.
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