The Appropriations/Public Safety Committee of the Illinois House is holding a hearing in Chicago to address the crisis in Illinois corrections. They want to hear testimony about ways that the IDOC could lower recidivism rates and save money.
This is a unique opportunity for us to speak out against warehousing and mass incarceration, and stand up for education, job-training, rehabilitation, and restorative justice.
Monday, April 26, 2010 at 10:00 am
James R. Thompson Center
100 W. Randolph Street, Room 16-503
Chicago, IL 60601
This hearing has been organized by Rep. Karen Yarbrough, Rep. Eddie Washington and Rep. Connie Howard and is a joint effort between their three committees. If you are policy makers, treatment providers, researchers, ex-offenders, family members of prisoners, or just concerned citizens, we need you to be present and let legislators know that that there is broad support for a new direction in corrections policy in Illinois.
Please sign up to attend, or to make a statement to the committee. We are hoping to hear testimony about:
-- medical neglect in Illinois prisons
-- rehabilitation as a cost-saving strategy to lower recidivism
-- programs to connect prisoners with mental health services upon release
-- elderly and long-term prisoners
-- policies for veterans in prison
-- community-based drug treatment programs
-- the need for restorative justice approaches
-- models for successful reentry and prevention
-- the crisis in custody for transgender and LGB prisoners
-- improving reentry policies for all prisoners to help them succeed on the outside
-- ending long-term isolation for Tamms supermax prisoners
-- programs that connect sex offenders with treatment and reentry support, rather than infinite restrictions
-- the specific experiences of ex-offenders and family members that illustrate the need for change
-- bringing volunteer programs back into prisons
-- promoting education programs, books, and libraries
-- improving visitation policies and helping
-- any other policies or programs that could save money or lower recidivism
-- POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON CURRENT OR NEW IDOC POLICIES AND PROGRAMS
Monday, April 26, 2010 at 10:00 am
James R. Thompson Center
100 W. Randolph Street, Room 16-503
Chicago, IL 60601
(Don't forget to bring your state ID, and come early enough to get yourself through security and up to the 16th floor.)
We also need volunteers to make phone calls to family members of prisoners and ex-offenders who are not on the Internet. Please email Tamms Year Ten if you are willing to make just 5 phone calls to invite people to attend!
tammsyearten@gmail.com
Who is working to spread the word?
Tamms Year Ten
Mental Health Summit of Illinois
NAARPR-Chicago
Stateville Speaks
Transformative Justice Law Project
Champaign-Urbana Books to Prisoners
Books to Women Prisoners
Waukegan Coalition to Reduce Recidivism
Former Inmates Striving Together
Illinois Institute for Community Law
Saving Our Sons Ministries, Inc.
Alliance 1-11
Joliet Diocese Peace and Social Justice Ministry
Please forward to your members, colleagues and allies and RSVP to let us know that you are attending!
