tag: Criminal Justice

Last year, the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) spent $276 on books for its educational programming across 28 correctional facilities, according to data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. In the early 2000s, however, the state prison system spent roughly $750,000 each year on books. The dramatic decrease in funding stands in contrast to research that shows educational programming for inmates can significantly impact recidivism rates. Prison librarians, academics and a former Illinois inmate all agree that prison libraries play an important role in that work. 

Five of the six Democrats running for governor were in Peoria over the Martin Luther King Day weekend. They were making largely similar cases to voters at a forum on criminal and economic justice.

The Champaign County Racial Justice Task Force has 31 recommendations for the county to improve racial disparity in the local criminal justice system. 

The Illinois criminal justice system has become increasingly reliant on fees. People convicted of crimes have become money makers for state and local government — paying for everything from prosecutors' offices to new police cars.

In an era of political gridlock, one of the few topics on which there's been hope of bipartisan cooperation is on the issues of crime and punishment. Politicians have traditionally been averse to doing anything that could get them painted as being "soft on crime." It's an easy attack, and one that's been frequently deployed in the past. But this year, criminal justice reform advocates are fighting back, as in the case of an Illinois Democrat facing scare-mongering ads about criminal justice reform. 

Hillary Clinton is embracing the symbolism of Abraham Lincoln's "House Divided" speech, arguing the nation needs to repair its divisions after a series of high-profile shootings. In a speech in Springfield,
Clinton said the Republican Party of Lincoln had been transformed into the "party of Trump," warning her opponent would divide Americans.

The Democratic presidential candidate spoke Friday at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where the primarily student audience packed a 4,000-seat campus basketball arena.  Sanders touched on familiar campaign themes, calling for campaign finance reform, marijuana decriminalization and increased corporate taxes.

For some Illinois kids, the state’s budget impasse means going to prison instead of going home. That’s because the lack of a state spending plan is forcing a universally-renowned program to disappear.

The task force would investigate racial disparity in jails and the criminal justice system, trying to figure out why African-Americans are over-represented in jails. It would then go to the board with proposed solutions.

Former Gov. Ryan, who served a federal prison term on corruption charges, says the "felon" tag is a burden for someone looking for a job.