Illinois

Contact:
John Norton, 202-999-4268
jnorton@famm.org

FAMM endorses Illinois Resentencing Task Force report’s recommendations

SPRINGFIELD – Dr. Shaneva McReynolds, FAMM Illinois State Consultant and Advocate, today expressed support for the sixteen recommendations issued by the Illinois Resentencing Task Force (RTF) final report. In an attempt to safely reduce the overpopulated Illinois prison system House Bill 3587 became law in July 2021. It created the RTF panel of experts to determine ways to achieve that objective through legislation. With RTF’s work completed, the reform efforts now turn to the state legislature to act on their proposals.
 
“FAMM is grateful to the Illinois Resentencing Task Force for their due diligence in crafting these important recommendations,” said McReynolds. “We agree wholeheartedly that Illinois needs to create a Second Look mechanism that enables incarcerated Illinoisans a meaningful opportunity for a second chance that reduces the state’s prison population while maintaining public safety. We look forward to working with the legislature to turn these recommendations into law.”

McReynolds testified before the RTF last September about many of the recommendations that were ultimately adopted. Prior to that FAMM released a 28-page report called Time for Justice: The Urgent Need for Second Chances in Illinois’ Sentencing System that detailed the flaws in the current system and ways to address them in a more effective manner. 
 
The RTF included members of the legislature from both parties, law enforcement, the Department of Corrections, and judicial, and prosecutorial representatives. A central tenet in the report is that “people serving long sentences for serious offenses now make up a larger proportion of the population than at any time in the past. Reducing the prison population could not be accomplished without including them in the resentencing process.”
 
Among the report’s recommendations are several ideas for fundamental reforms that FAMM has long sought such as:
 
·       The legislature creating retroactive resentencing opportunities.
·       Incarcerated individuals being able to petition the courts directly to be resentenced.  
·       Allowing people serving sentences that have been prospectively reduced and those serving extreme sentences that no longer advance the interest of justice or promote public safety to seek resentencing. 
 
For nearly three decades, FAMM has united the voices of affected families, the formerly incarcerated, and a range of stakeholders and advocates to fight for a more fair and effective justice system. FAMM’s focus on ending an inflexible and draconian punishment structure has led to reforms to sentencing and prison policies at the state and federal levels and is paving the way to programs that support rehabilitation for the 94% of all prisoners who will return to our neighborhoods one day.

###

FAMM is a national nonpartisan advocacy organization that promotes fair and effective criminal justice policies that safely reduce incarceration, save taxpayer dollars, and keep families together. Founded in 1991, FAMM has secured bold sentencing and prison reform across the country while elevating the voices of directly impacted individuals and families.

FAMM.org | www.facebook.com/FAMMFoundation | @FAMMFoundation

1100 H Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, D.C. 20005 | 202-822-6700