Learning together

"Should Judges Have to Weigh the Price Tag of Sending Someone to Prison?"
Samantha Jones, Mother Jones
Jan.8, 2020
​
A handful of reformist DAs think so. But they’re meeting plenty of resistance.
There’s one trial that Buta Biberaj will never forget. Biberaj, a former defense attorney, remembers how Virginia jurors in 2017 requested 132 years of prison for a man who stole car tires. The jurors may have been unaware that taxpayers could pay more than $25,000 a year to keep someone incarcerated—so by proposing their sentence, they were also suggesting that society fork over $3 million...
Read More

Pritzker Wants to End Cash Bonds, Mandatory Minimum Prison Sentences - WGLT
​Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a pair of ambitious criminal justice reform goals Thursday: the end of cash bonds and mandatory minimum sentences in Illinois. Pritzker says it's part of "prudently" reducing the state's 40,000 inmate prison population. He acknowledges it will likely take several years to implement, but says ending cash bonds is a priority. There's work to be done to try to find a solution for ending cash bail, but it will, in my opinion, during our administration, we will have made enormous strides," he said. "And I believe we will end cash bail during this administration." 
​Read More

​Degradation, Neglect And Roaches: Inside Illinois’ Largest Women’s Prison
The staff and inmates at Illinois’ largest women’s prison agree the facility is “falling apart,” “neglected” and “unsanitary.” The deteriorating physical condition is one of the key findings of a new report from the independent prison watchdog John Howard Association on the Logan Correctional Center in central Illinois.
​The newly released monitoring report notes that the Illinois Department of Corrections has eased overcrowding at Logan, which houses the vast majority of the state’s female prisoners, but also warns “there is still much to be improved.” Those needed improvements include more mental health practitioners, a more professional and respectful workforce and the overdue physical repairs.
Read More

Self-led Learning page lists historic offerings and more to help deepen your knowledge.

UUPMI Events

Inside Volunteer Training 
Unitarian Church of Evanston
Sat. January  25     ​10 am - 2:30 pm
1330 Ridge Ave - Evanston, IL 60201
Register here

PIC 101
Second Unitarian
Sat. February 1st      ​10 am - 3:00 pm
656 W Barry - Chicago IL
Register here

Celebration of Rev. Karen
Unitarian Church of Evanston
Sat. February 15th      ​5 - 7 pm
1330 Ridge Ave, Evanston
Register here
​Read more

Pen Pal Orientation
Unity Temple
Sun. February 16th      ​1 - 2:30 pm
1019 South Blvd, Oak Park
Register here

Imagining & Practicing Abolition
Unitarian Church of Evanston
Sat. February  29     ​10 am - 2:30 pm
1330 Ridge Ave - Evanston, IL 60201
​Register here

Events you should know about

An evening with Daniel Epstein:
Institutional bias and corruption in Illinois's court system, and how to fix it.
Unitarian Church of Evanston
Wed. January 29th @ 7 PM
         DATE CHANGE
Daniel Epstein served clients in the Supreme Court of the United States and in jurisdictions across the country, including Illinois, where he witnessed deep systemic problems in our justice system. 
​​Read More

Click here for more information about events

Our Mission

We equip UU's in Illinois to ​transform institutions and support people harmed by the prison industrial complex.  Read More

HUGE Celebrations for Monica Cosby:
FIELD FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST LEADERS FOR A NEW CHICAGO AWARD RECIPIENTS -- The Field Foundation today announced the 14 recipients of its inaugural Leaders for a New Chicago award, supported by a $2.1 million grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to expand the definition of leadership in Chicago.
“In Chicago we have no shortage of brilliant minds working every day to change lives and reshape our city,” said Angelique Power, president, the Field Foundation. “We are so honored to be in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation as we hand over a megaphone, share resources, and then sit back and watch as these incredible people continue to soar, bringing our city to more just and beautiful places than we could’ve ever imagined.”

THE 2019 LEADERS FOR A NEW CHICAGO AWARDEES ARE:
• Monica Cosby, a leader of the participatory defense work at Westside Justice Center and one of the leading advocates for incarcerated women and the fight for post-incarceration rights in Chicago.
Read More

We need your help! We can sustain this ministry only if we have the support of people who care about our shared humanity with people in prison. Your contribution will help fund our quarter-time minister’s salary, benefits, and travel costs, plus the costs of our education offerings to congregations.

The In Prison Ministry works to create a spiritual space where all people can come as they are and be affirmed in their inherent worth and dignity, no matter their identities or past harm they may have caused. 

The outside work of the UU Prison Ministry focuses on preparing our congregations to become radically welcoming places for formerly incarcerated and convicted people. We embrace the call of Unitarian Universalism to make our congregations accepting of all people.

​The Prison Ministry will also connect UUs to local and state-level policy  initiatives that seek to build a world community of peace, liberty and justice for all.

Donate Now

UU Prison Ministry of Illinois is a 501(c)3 organization, so your contributions are tax-deductible.

​We are funded in part by the Fund for Unitarian Universalist Social Responsibility - and grateful for their support.