| Welcome to the IACJ eNewsletter...your source for timely information on criminal justice policy and practice in Illinois. | News With the release of his budget recommendations for FY13, Governor Quinn last week announced the closure of two juvenile justice facilities (Murphysboro and Joliet), two adult facilities (Tamms "supermax" prison and Dwight), and six transitional centers, which serve as halfway houses for people leaving prison and returning to their communities. Various organizations and individuals have issued responses to the budget and closures, including several IACJ member organizations.
The Sentencing Project recently published a report on prison privatization, indicating that in 2010, thirty states and the federal government had some level of privatization. Additionally, the report reveals that the growth in numbers of prisoners held in private prisons has far exceeded that of their peers in state prisons - 784 percent compared to 40 percent, respectively, between 1999 and 2010. In December, the Bureau of Justice Statistics released two reports on correctional population trends in the U.S., indicating that the number of adults under correctional supervision declined 1.3 percent in 2010, the second consecutive year of decline since 1980. Further, the total U.S. prison population fell to 1.6 million at the end of 2010, a 0.6 percent decline during the year, and the first decline in the total prison population in nearly four decades. Finally, the journal Pediatrics published an article in January revealing that nearly one-third of America's youth are arrested or taken into custody for criminal activities, resulting in an unhealthy start in life and indicating a need for screening and early intervention by family members and pediatricians.
Also, the Vera Institute released an analysis of the costs associated with incarcerating adults in Illinois, including costs beyond those incurred within the state Department of Corrections' budget. The report revealed that the average annual cost per inmate in FY2010 was $38,268, significantly higher than the $22,043 reported in the Illinois Department of Corrections' 2010 Annual Report. The Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission also recently released a report, which indicated the state's juvenile justice system is failing to rehabilitate youth and return them to society. According to the report, more than half of the youth released from the system return to it, and the system has turned into a "feeder" system for the adult correctional system. Finally, a report authored by Project NIA on juvenile arrests in Chicago found that African-American youth accounted for 74 percent of school-based arrests in 2010 but made up only 45 percent of the CPS population, suggesting they are disproportionately arrested.
To read more on any of these stories and other criminal justice related news, visit www.illinoiscriminaljustice.org.
Take Action Under the Illinois' meritorious good time (MGT) program, individuals serving in Illinois prisons for non-violent crimes could have up to 180 days of incarceration deducted as a reward for good behavior. This program was suspending back in 2010 because it was determined that individuals were being released before they had served sufficient time. Since 2010, this issue has been resolved by mandating that individuals spend at minimum 60 days in prison prior to becoming eligible for good time credit. However, the program has still not been re-instated, and this has had negative impacts on the incarceration rates in the state. Illinois has increased its prison population by 4,000, and medium and minimum-security facilities are facing severe crowding. These conditions impede rehabilitation efforts and create dangerous environments for both staff and inmates. As Illinois is facing historic budget shortfalls, the reinstatement of MGT would help save scarce public dollars. If you would like to add your voice to the growing numbers advocating the program's responsible reinstitution, click here for a letter you can personalize and mail to Governor Quinn.
Don't forget to check out the Take Action! page for other important alerts.
Events Chicago Listening Forum (FAVOR)
March 31, 2012
9:30AM – 12:30PM
A Safe Haven Foundation
2750 West Roosevelt Rd
Chicago, IL
For more info, click here
Membership If you are not yet a member of IACJ, we'd like to invite you to consider membership in the association. IACJ is structured to support the work of advocates, providers and policy professionals focused on criminal justice work in Illinois. We hope to bring education, understanding and attention to the best practices in reentry and community reintegration. Benefits of membership include being part of a strong network of your criminal justice peers and experts; the ability to share resources, act collectively, and speak with a common voice to command attention of elected official on policy issues; and a prestigious affiliation with a state-wide association.
Membership is free for a limited time only! For more information and to join, please visit our Membership page.
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