#RealPrisonReform

John Howard Association of Illinois is the only independent organization regularly visiting IL prisons and sharing what we observe and learn from inmates, staff and administrators. JHA staff and volunteers listen to prisoners and staff to learn what the concerns and issues are inside each prison.  We then bring the voices of incarcerated people outside of the prison walls, informing and educating the public, media and key decision makers in order to improve the system and help make a difference in their lives.   

What kind of impact does JHA make upon Illinois' criminal justice system?  Just a few examples of #RealReform we've helped achieve include:  

• Closure of inhumane facilities:  JHA has been calling for the closure of the “roundhouse,” Unit F, at Stateville Correctional Center for years; it is the most outdated, inhumane housing unit in our prison system.  JHA applauds Octobers’s announcement by Governor Rauner to close this unit, as this is a step towards creating a more humane and effective prison system in Illinois.  Read more here.  
• Repurposing of existing facilities:  JHA has continually advocated for the repurposing of smaller, newer, and cleaner facilities that already exist in Illinois to house adult inmates as a straight forward solution to easing overcrowding in Illinois’ adult prisons.  This year, the reopenings of former Illinois Youth Centers Murphysboro and Kewanee were announced; these are newer facilities that will be program-centered to help adult inmates gain life skills to promote success upon release from prison.  JHA believes that this move indicates progress in Illinois corrections.  Read more here.
• Making re-entry more successful:  On Tuesday October 4, 40-year-old Landus Jackson was released from Illinois’ Vienna Correctional Facility.  What made this release newsworthy is that Mr. Jackson, thanks to new regulatory changes aimed at reducing barriers to employment, has the distinction of being the first to leave a state prison with a professional license in hand – in this case, a cosmetology license.  John Howard Association is thrilled to hear of Mr. Jackson’s accomplishment, as JHA has been pushing for inmates to have credentials that will work for them when they walk out the door.  Without the opportunity to make a living, the risk of recidivism increases.  Thanks to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s appointed Commission on Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform, a group for which JHA’s work helped demonstrate the need, formerly incarcerated individuals will have the opportunity to make their transition into employment post-release a bit easier.  Read more here.
• Improving prisoner healthcare:  Based on JHA’s research reports and policy recommendations, Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) agreed to implement an expanded healthcare protocol to vaccinate all male and female youth in IDJJ custody against the HPV virus. 

JHA does not receive any funding from the government; we are reliant upon the generous donations of individuals and organizations.  As such, every donation to the John Howard Association matters; we cannot continue to do the work we do without your support.  

Our #GivingTuesday campaign goal is $5,000.   Please help us reach our goal by making a donation to JHA today!  All donations up to $2,500 will be matched by our Premier Sponsors, Julie & Roger Baskes.  And you can triple your impact by asking for a matching gift donation from your employer!

Thank you for your support of John Howard Association this #GivingTuesday.  Together, we will deliver #RealReform, striding towards a fair, effective and humane criminal justice system in Illinois.  www.thejha.org