Learning together

Article: Is Juvinille Justice Beyond Repair: Lantigua-Williams Atlantic
One advocate describes what happens in a family when a child is behind bars. Read More

Article: Religious rights of Atheists: Margolies  KCUR
Does a prison’s failure to regard atheism as a “religious preference” violate the Constitution? That’s the question raised by a former Missouri prisoner, who contended the failure of the Missouri Department of Corrections (MDOC) to list “atheist” on prison intake forms violated his First Amendment rights. Read More

Video : Writing my wrongs: Shaka Senghor  TED talk
​"Making the best out of a bad situation." Writer, mentor and motivational speaker, Shaka Senghor gives us a candid, behind the scenes peek into his life leading up to and during his incarceration for second degree murder. Read More

Article : The prison reformer’s dilemma, UChicago magazine, Spring 2017
Challenging the conventional wisdom on mass incarceration. "Conventional wisdom misses the real reasons why the United States is the world’s biggest jailer." Read More

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

Our Mission

UUPMI will facilitate connections between Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations and those incarcerated in Illinois to build a UU presence inside prisons and engage participants in advocacy to reduce incarceration.  Read More

UUPMI Calendar

October 2017

10/15 - Freeing the cycle of forgiveness @ 
​       Countryside Unitarian

November 2017

11/5 - Circle Round for Freedom @
      North Shore Unitarian Church

11/11 - Radical Hospitality 101 @
      Beverly Unitarian Church
​      9 am - 1 pm
      Register here

Other events you should know about

• Monday, October 16, 2017 Safer Foundation Conference organized by the Council of Advisors to Reduce Recidivism Through Employment (CARRE) at the UIC Student Center. 
  
  ​This year's theme is "Creating Opportunity: Advancing Systematic Social Impact through Advocacy"
  The Conference is free- register click here 
  

• November 12, 2017 3:00pm - 6:00pm Indivisible Cook County Jail Voter Registration
  Indivisible Southside South Side Voter Rights Group is looking for volunteers to register voters at the Cook County Jail each month.

Click here for more information about events

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

Our Donate button will take you to the website of our fiscal sponsor, the Unitarian Church of Evanston (UCE).  Please be sure to specify that your donation is meant to support the UU Prison Ministry of Illinois, so we get credit for it.  UCE is a 501(c)3 organization, so your contributions are tax-deductible.