As individuals are personally affected by the state of Illinois current sentencing laws, we have witnessed our friends and family face incarceration even after showing significant signs of rehabilitation. This hurts individuals attempting to reintegrate into society and rebuild their lives, ultimately disrupting families and communities. Illinois has lagged behind a progressive shift for too long. Our loved ones and thousands of Illinoisans continue to live with harsh, overwhelming and unforgiving sentencing laws that pay little to no heed to their efforts at reform. Detaining Violent Crime Offenders and forgetting about them. Sentencing reform isn’t just about fairness, it’s about a chance to turn their lives around. As what the original meaning of rehabilitation begins with. What IDOC says it is in support of, but shows otherwise. IDOC and Legislators in Illinois think of Violent Crime Offenders as disposable. Bills being passed and bills being talked about show this fact to be true.
in 1998 Truth In Sentencing was passed into Law. Limiting the ability to earn time off a non-life sentence. This runs against the rehabilitative mission of correctional systems. It is determined that in absolutely no way will an offender serve less than 85% of that sentence. With an adequate amount serving 100%. Parole eligibility and good time credits are restricted or eliminated. No matter what inmates do to rehabilitate themselves. T.I.S., Gun Enhancement, Defacto life sentences and Accountability over punishes those who have opportunities for rehabilitation and leaves them entangled in the Illinois justice system. Left in overcrowded Illinois prisons to die. The substantial cost depletes scarce resources that could be used to prevent crime. Some other alarming statistics: Illinois has one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation, extreme overcrowding, poor mental health care, including Suicide, use of force, poor water conditions, and deplorable conditions. T.I.S. Only teaches individuals that the system believes them to be beyond reform.
In March of 2024, Illinois Representative Barbara Hernandez introduced a House Bill. HB5219. It would allow people incarcerated in IDOC to earn one day of sentence credit for each day served in prison. HB5219 provides that each day of sentence credit will reduce an individual’s period of incarceration by one day, eliminating provisions that limit credit accumulation based on offense type. Individuals must comply with rules and regulations, successfully complete programming, and be of service to a facility, community or the state. This bill has a recent update that it will not go into effect for Violent Crime Offenders. All of our 1,300+ witness signatures that we worked so hard to get to, is to be demolished right in front of our eyes. If this is the case, then modern day slavery and human trafficking are absolutely to be taken into consideration. Gun Enhancement laws, Accountability and Truth-In-Sentencing should be taken away completely! Let’s not forget about Parole needing to be reinstated in Illinois! This would make sentencing a “true” sentence and recognize rehabilitation. The state has spent $1.74 Billion just for the incarceration of 2,528 people who have served 20+ years in IDOC. HB5219 providing the abolishment of these unfair, cruel laws will create a justice system that is fair and effective.
We call on our Legislators in Illinois to push for the families and friends and the people over sentenced in Illinois! For smarter, more compassionate sentencing laws! We urge you to recognize the value of rehabilitation and positive impacts. Stand with us and reform sentencing laws in Illinois! If you are going to support your communities then you must support both sides of it! WE DEMAND CHANGE! EVERYONE DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE!