UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST PRISON MINISTRY OF ILLINOIS
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Transforming our world

Advocacy

Unitarian Universalist communities are inclusive, you can bring your whole self: your full identity, your questioning mind, your expansive heart. Together, we create a force more powerful than one person or one belief system. As Unitarian Universalists, we do not have to check our personal background and beliefs at the door: we join together on a journey that honors everywhere we’ve been before.
We are organizing Illinois Unitarian Universalist congregations to advocate for policy changes in Illinois related to prisons. This includes; setting strict limits on the use of solitary confinement, reforming bail/bond system, and allowing recently released to access to more job and housing opportunities.
​UUPMI is joined at times by UUANI – Unitarian Universalist Advocacy of Illinois a much broader advocacy group than UUPMI. UUANI brings together Unitarian Universalists across Illinois to work for justice, beloved community, and a healthy planet. 
Click here to visit UUANI
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The COVID-19 Pandemic has highlighted the many needs of those who are recently released or still inside.  Though there are immediate needs that must be addressed, our organization still holds onto to a long-term religious vision where the humanity of all is recognized and liberation/reconciliation is possible for all people.

What You Can Do Now

Get Involved! 
Every year, Illinois incarcerates over 250,000 people who are awaiting trial. None of these people have been convicted of a crime, and most are jailed simply because they can’t afford to pay a money bond. Pretrial incarceration is hurting communities across our state.
As of January 2021 partners across the sate have ended money bond in IL. But the work is not over. 
  • Now that the Pretrial Fairness Act passed, many legislators who voted for it have faced heavy opposition from law enforcement, prosecutors, and conservatives. Take a moment to thank legislators who voted for the PFA and scold those who voted against it. We have been told that these messages make a real difference in Springfield. 
  • ​Make sure that you sign up for the Coalition to End Money Bond's newsletter at endmoneybond.org and follow them on social media for regular campaign updates. We’ll be around to talk after the presentation if you’d like more information or resources related to any of these ideas. 
  • We are always sharing content related to the Pretrial Fairness Act and pretrial justice reform. Please dig in, learn more, and share this information with your networks! We will need an even more robust community of support to stand our ground for this law as it goes into effect over the next couple of years.
Join us and we will keep you updated about how you can join in advocacy efforts so we will not see this work be sabotaged by push-back legislation.​
PLEASE call Governor Pritzker (217-782-0244) and Lt. Governor Stratton (217-558-3085) and ask them to release people from IDOC.
The Illinois Department of Corrections is not conducting enough Covid-19 tests to provide an accurate count of people who are ill. Even with this underestimate, an alarming number of our friends inside are infected. Everyone is living in intolerable conditions where they cannot take the advised precautions to protect themselves from the virus. As of August 15, 261 people in Stateville, 93 at East Moline and 72 women at Logan are reported to have Covid-19, and we know that far more people in these prisons were exposed and are being held in quarantine. Of the 602 reported cases of people in custody with Covid-19 since March, just 365 are listed as recovered. PLEASE call Governor Pritzker (217-782-0244) and Lt. Governor Stratton (217-558-3085) and ask them to release people from IDOC. By focusing on older people (who almost never are re-arrested), people with medical conditions that increase their risk of death, and people within six months of release, Illinois can release enough people from prison to make social distancing possible inside, to reduce the spread and prevent more deaths.  IDOC must increase testing and provide prompt medical care when people inside report that they are ill.  

Please be sure to like our Facebook page for updates on advocacy involvement as it comes.

For additional action you can take, visit the Illinois Prison Project, who is keeping a running list of ways we can stay engaged in our vision of liberation in these difficult times.

Bills for action

2020 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our legislative advocacy work is on hold.  The pandemic reveals how legislation that focuses on the full humanity of those who are locked up is a win for all communities, especially with regard to public health.

Update August 2020: The legislative session has been severely curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A six-day legislative session is currently scheduled, and our community network partners who keep their eyes on Springfield tell us the focus will be on CODIV-19 and police reform bills. That said, we will keep you updated on potential work coming through our friends at Parole Illinois who are restarting their efforts to advocate for the older adult parole bill, HB 5256 and SB2114. More info here. See below for important information on a Teach-In  August 20th about ending money bond in Illinois leading up to a Virtual Lobby Day with our friends at the Chicago Community Bond Fund and the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice.
2019 These bills are before the 2019 IL Legislative body.
Use the status links to find out if your representative is involved in decision making and reach out to them letting them know your support.
Click on the titles below to learn more about these bills on the IL General Assembly website. Then check out how your legislator voted - consider contacting them in thanks or concern.

HB 2045 :: Healthcare  - Support
Status: Passed Criminal Law Committee, House & Senate
Looking forward to likely sign into law by Gov Pritzker. Bill eliminate the $5 co-pay for healthcare. Click here to see the votes
Carol Ammons was lead sponsor in House.
Elgie Sims is chief Senate sponsor
​
HB 2444 :: Parental Detention  - Support
​Final language

Status: Passed Criminal Law Committee , House & Senate
Looking forward to likely being signed into law by Gov Pritzker.
Parental Detention: The Children’s Best Interest Act provides specific circumstances that the court shall consider in favor of release, to prevent unnecessary harm to children caused by separation from parents.Provides consideration for defendants who care for a family member who is ill, disabled, or elderly.  Click here to see the votes
Rep. Kelly Cassidy - lead sponsor in the House
Rep. Delia Ramirez - lead co-sponsor
Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins (majority whip) -lead sponsor in the Senate
Sen. Robert Peters lead co-sponsor in the Senate

Other Prison-related billed that passed both houses:
HB 531 – now Public Act 100-1182 – creates new parole opportunities for those under 21 coming into the system today with extreme sentences ahead of them—the first new opportunity for parole in this state since the practice was abolished in 1978.  
HB 900  Never Require People to Reimburse any Cost of Incarceration.
HB 3061  Health Care Workers Background Check.
Removes barriers that may have prevented people from applying for healthcare jobs because of a previous conviction.

Following bills are dead for this session
Please consider writing your legislator in support or disagreement with their vote

HB 182 :: Solitary   -  Support
Status: Rules Committee
Click here to see the vote
Provides that: a committed person may not be placed in isolated confinement for more than 10 consecutive days; may not be placed in isolated confinement for more than 10 days in any 180-day period; while out of cell, committed persons may have access to activities; that the DoC shall post quarterly reports.

HB 1587 :: Gets rid of some mandatory minimum sentences - Support
Status: Passed Criminal Law Committee & passed the House 61-48 DID NOT Make it to the floor for a vote in the Senate
Judges would be able to depart from state mandatory minimums for just three types of offenses. Click here to see the votes
Sen Elgie R Sims, Jr sponsor in the Senate 
This was not on our radar before (it is a small step compared to what is really needed), but it has now passed the house with bi-partisan support: State Rep. Allen Skillicorn, from East Dundee, was among a group of SEVEN Republicans who joined Democrats in supporting the legislation. Judges would be able to depart from state mandatory minimums for just three types of offenses:
  • use or possession of drugs,
  • retail theft, and
  • driving on a revoked license because of unpaid financial obligations.

HB 2039 :: Penalty Reduction   -  Support
Status: Rules Committee
Click here to see the vote
Provides that a person serving a sentence for any criminal offense under the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012 or a similar local ordinance for which the statutory penalty has been subsequently reduced or altered may petition the trial court that entered the judgment of conviction to request resentencing or dismissal in accordance with the statutory penalty in effect at the time of the filing of the petition.
Notes from our advocates: State's attorneys have long been in opposition - claiming unconstitutionality - Cassidy wanted to call it but was postponed - the Gov's office asked to hold onto it, as they are interested in a mass communication of sentences (for pot), concern is that it won't address barriers that folks have that aren't in prison.

HB3214 :: Parole   -  Support
Status: Rules Committee
Click here to see the vote
A person serving a term of imprisonment in a DOC facility is eligible for parole and a parole hearing if they have served (1) At least 20 years 2-25% o the sentence (2) A minimum sentence for offense. Person serving natural life shall be eligible after 20 years.
Check out this website for more information from a consortium of advocates.
​
HB 3332 :: Housing Income Tax Credit   -  Support
Status: Rules Committee
Click here to see the vote
Provides a tax credit to landlords that rent to people with conviction records, providing a 15% tax credit for amount of annual rent received from that "qualified renter"

Support for work in the world

Here are the many ways we are joining with area organizations to amplify the needs and voices of those who are locked up.
Now, more than ever, there have been many asks of officials to release those locked up over public health concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic. We as an organization have signed onto several letters and participated in these advocacy efforts:
  • Sent March 7, 2020, letter to IDOC Acting Director Rob Jeffreys and IL Sheriff’s Association urging a one-time review of all people in custody who are elderly or ill, with an eye toward providing medical furloughs or compassionate release to as many of them as possible.
  • Organized area congregations to provide immediate financial support to prisoners in Illinois who are part of the Church of the Larger Fellowship. UUPMI has committed $200 to provide financial support to individual prisoners in this effort.
  • Signed on to Restore Justice Illinois and Illinois Prison Project open letter to Kim Foxx
  • Signed on to Chicago Appleseed open letter outlining ten points to provide safety to justice-involved youth and adults in custody and under community supervision.
  • Signed on to letter to Cardinal Cupich urging him to join advocates who are asking Governor J. B. Pritzker to act to release elderly and at-risk people in prison.
  • Signed on to Chicago Urban League letter to Gov. to reduce harm of COVID-19 for people with substance abuse disorders.
  • Children and Family Justice Center/Northwestern University letter to IL Supreme Court Chief Justice Burke, Chief Judge Evans, Presiding Judge Toomin, Public Defender Campanelli, and State’s Attorney urging release of all youth in the Cook County Detention Center who both the Office of the State’s Attorney and Public Defender have evaluated and determined can be safely returned home.
  • April 13, 2020 - Signed on to open letter to the National Governors’ Association, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and National Sheriffs’ Association demanding free calls in state prisons and local jails, sponsored by Color of Change, National Council of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, Just Leadership USA, and others. 
  •  April 7-10, 2020- UUPMI leadership in both the CCJ Decarcerate IL car action and the Stateville car action















Grateful for the signing the Children's Best Interest Act, and to Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton for her support. IF this is fully implemented, with resources for family-based treatment and training for all stakeholders, it could be one a huge factor in reducing incarceration in Illinois.
Read More​​

UUPMI

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