Abolition as Faith Formation
We are joining with our friends at the Church of the Larger Fellowship as partners in supporting the proposed Congregational Study Action Issue, Abolition is Faith Formation, for our Unitarian Universalist General Assembly this summer 2025. To learn more, go here.
Legislation we are supporting...
Read more about the Success Act here.
Illinois has a constitutional obligation to provide a vigorous defense to people who cannot afford to hire private lawyers—but it is one of only three states with no statewide body to ensure it fulfills this duty, until now! Learn more here.
Did you know there is no parole in IL? Support a Second Look for IDOC Seniors, SB86/ HB 3509, Through reports from our CLF Worthy Now prisoner pen pals in Illinois, UUPMI leaders and volunteers know that prison conditions continue to be horrific. This bill can save lives of seniors in IL prisons. The bill would provide a parole process for approximately 1,000 people in Illinois prisons who
are 55 years or older and have been caged at least 25 years. To view the wording of the bill go here. Follow Restore Justice ILGet involved! Go to their website to sign up for advocacy opportunities. We are especially tuned into legislation that:
Follow Ending Permanent Punishments and the Clean Slate Coalition of ILSupport the passage of the Clean Slate Act
Fall 2024: Pretrial Fairness and Ending Money Bond: One Year Anniversary
Staff members Rev Allison Farnum and Keith Talley at One Year Celebration at Leighton Criminal Courthouse next to where UUPMI does jail ministry
We continue to celebrate pretrial fairness and they ways it has kept wealth in communities that need it the most (over $140 million!) . Additionally, we are committed to partnering with others who want to see a decrease in incarceration. At the One Year Anniversary gathering, we heard from amazing leaders like Yvette who shared her testimony about the impact of money bond in her life. She reminded us that when you incarcerate a woman, you incarcerate her family. We are so grateful for her testimony and her work in helping protect pretrial fairness. Read for more from the IL Network for Pretrial Fairness at this blog post.
Support Pretrial Success in Illinois!
Photo courtesy of the IL Network for Pretrial Justice
Read this latest report for A Vision for Supporting Communities After the End of Money Bond
Photo from Coalition to End Money Bond
Learning together
Be sure to check out the Minns Lecture Series from Spring 2024 by the Rev Jason Lydon, including topics like: The UUSC National Moratorium on Prison Construction: A Stepping Stone Toward Abolition, The Prisoners' Friend: Universalism and Punishment, and more!
If you are curious about prison abolition, check out this wonderful resource from Abolition Journal. With six sessions, you can go at your own pace.
Self-led Learning page lists historic offerings and more to help deepen your knowledge.
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Our Mission
We equip UU's in Illinois to transform institutions; partnering with and supporting people harmed by the prison industrial complex. Read More
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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 staff salaries, 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 Unitarian Universalists to local and state-level policy initiatives that seek to build a world community of peace, liberty and justice for all. |
UU Prison Ministry of Illinois is a 501(c)3 organization, so your contributions are tax-deductible.
We are funded by a large network of Unitarian Universalists, as well as from grants from the Fund for Unitarian Universalist Social Responsibility and Crossroads Fund - and grateful for all their support. |
This organization is in part funded by the Fund for Unitarian Universalist Social Responsibility and the Crossroads Fund.
