JHA strongly supports this proposal and urges the State of New York to adopt a policy and practice of having judges who render sentencing decisions conduct meaningful, thorough visits of prisons on an annual basis. (Nov. 21, 2025)

John Howard Association Public Comment on the Proposed Rule Regarding Mail, Privileged Communications, and Receipt of Publications for People in Illinois’ State Prisons. Submitted to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules by the Illinois Department of Corrections (Nov. 21, 2025)

JHA Statement on the Emergency Rule Submitted to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules by the Illinois Department of Corrections Regarding Mail, Privileged Communications and Receipt of Publications for People in Illinois’ State Prisons (Sept 4, 2025)

JHA Testimony on the IDOC FY26 proposed budget given to the Illinois House of Representatives Appropriations—Public Safety Committee (March 19, 2025)

SB2201 mandates the collection and publication of what contraband is getting into prisons, where it was identified and how it is getting in, and how to best stop it from entering IDOC facilities.  This information will increase the safety of correctional staff and people who are incarcerated in IDOC and allow for fact-based decision-making, leading to implementable and impactful policies. (March 18, 2025)

In 2022-2023, JHA conducted our second system-wide survey in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) using an adapted Measuring the Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) survey. Today we are excited to share our MQPL Survey Dashboard built by our partners at the Loyola Chicago Center for Criminal Justice. (August 8, 2024)

John Howard Association Testimony on Proposal to Close and Rebuild Stateville and Logan Correctional Centers given to the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (May 10, 2024)

John Howard Association Testimony on the Illinois Department of Corrections FY25 Proposed Budget given to the Illinois State Senate Appropriations - Public Safety and Infrastructure Committee (April 17, 2024)

On April 15, 2024 the Coalition to Decarcerate Illinois (of which JHA is a part) gathered outside of the Environmental Protection Agency to hold a press conference and deliver a legal petition to address the critical issue of unsafe drinking water and aging infrastructure that incarcerated community members have been forced to deal with for the past decades.

John Howard Association Testimony on the Illinois Department of Corrections FY25 Proposed Budget given to the Illinois House of Representatives Appropriations—Public Safety Committee (March 20, 2024)

Today’s announcement by Governor Pritzker to shutter Logan and Stateville Correctional Centers in order to rebuild them recognizes that these prisons are decrepit, unsafe, and inhumane. However, this announcement does not address the fact that the Illinois prisons are currently well under capacity, with close to 12,000 excess prison beds throughout the system; we can and should also permanently close some of our worst prisons. (March 15, 2024)

John Howard Association Testimony on the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice FY25 Proposed Budget to the Illinois House of Representatives Appropriations—Public Safety Committee (March 13, 2024)

Throughout 2023 JHA received reports from people incarcerated in IDOC about lack of out-of-cell time and excessive lockdowns, which they in part attribute to low staffing levels. The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) reports they continue to struggle with high levels of staff vacancies; in July, they reported nearly a third of correctional officer positions were vacant. These numbers have real consequences that make living and working inside of prisons more difficult and less safe for everyone. (Jan. 24, 2024)

The Correctional Association of New York, John Howard Association, and Pennsylvania Prison Society applaud the first steps of Arizona Oversight Commission and echo the call for more resources to realize and sustain critical oversight. The Commission sought support From IL, NY & PA Prison Oversight Organizations (January 16, 2024)

The program announced today by Secretary of State Giannoulias and Sheriff Dart is an important advancement - we commend them for creating a program that will get more state IDs into the hands of people who need this assistance in order to move forward productively. (December 11, 2023)

An infrastructure assessment of all the secure IDOC facilities was recently made public. The report titled Facility Master Plan was authored by the consulting group CGL. JHA is dismayed but unsurprised by its findings, which in part address our repeated call for an independent assessment of living and work conditions in IDOC and our demands that this information be made public. (August 2023)

“Dear Governor Pritzker, On behalf of the John Howard Association of Illinois, I write to respectfully request you sign Senate Bill 2197, which aims to bolster the protection of our youth within county juvenile detention centers. This bill proposes the expansion of the existing Office of the Independent Juvenile Ombudsman's duties to include the 16 county juvenile detention centers across our state.” (June 2023)

John Howard Association Testimony, April 12, 2023 on the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice FY24 Proposed Budget to the Illinois Senate Appropriations—Public Safety and Infrastructure Committee

John Howard Association Testimony, April 12, 2023 on the Illinois Department of Corrections FY24 Proposed Budget to the Illinois Senate Appropriations—Public Safety and Infrastructure Committee

John Howard Association Testimony, March 29, 2023 on the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice FY24 Proposed Budget to the Illinois House of Representatives Appropriations—Public Safety Committee

John Howard Association Testimony, March 29, 2023 on the Illinois Department of Corrections FY24 Proposed Budget to the Illinois House of Representatives Appropriations—Public Safety Committee

JHA submits this testimony requesting that the budget request from the Hawai’i Correctional System Oversight Commission be supported. Given that this office is new, it is important to ensure that it is properly funded to fulfill the mandated requirements set by Hawai’i Revised Statute 353L. (March 2023)

JHA submits this testimony to the Illinois Senate Special Committee on Criminal Law and Public Safety in support of SB 2197, the bill to increase protection for youth in county juvenile detention centers by expanding the oversight powers of the existing Office of Independent Juvenile Ombudsman. (March 2023)

JHA submits this testimony to the Illinois House Judiciary - Criminal Committee in support of HB2767, the bill to increase protection for youth in county juvenile detention centers by expanding the oversight powers of the existing Office of Independent Juvenile Ombudsman (OIJO). (March 2023)

JHA submits this testimony requesting that the budget request from the Hawai’i Correctional System Oversight Commission be supported. Given that this office is new, it is important to ensure that it is properly funded to fulfill the mandated requirements set by Hawai’i Revised Statute 353L. (March 2023)

Despite incarcerating more children than state-run juvenile justice facilities, county detention centers have less oversight. Currently, the Illinois Office of the Independent Juvenile Ombudsman (OIJO) has oversight authority over state-run facilities, but not county detention centers. The OIJO responds to complaints by youth in state custody and provides them with information, promoting the interests of safety, fairness, humanity, and transparency in the juvenile justice system. The jurisdiction of the office should be expanded to cover youth who are held in county detention centers, empowering the OIJO to investigate complaints from youth at county detention centers, inform government officials about problems, and make regular reports to the public.  All incarcerated youth in Illinois should be able to report problems to an independent oversight office. (December 2022)

In the wake of yet another water emergency in Illinois prisons, this time stemming from a delayed hot water system repair at Stateville Correctional Center, a coalition of advocates for incarcerated people and environmental advocates today call on state agencies to uphold environmental justice and human rights by fixing the state prisons’ broken water and sanitation systems once and for all and bring meaningful solutions to those currently affected by this negligence inside. (November 16, 2022)

On behalf of the undersigned groups, we are requesting that the capital development process currently underway for facilities run by the Illinois Department of Corrections include an in-depth, system-wide analysis of the drinking water and sanitary sewer systems in Illinois prisons and include needed, comprehensive, and lasting fixes.

As Illinois realizes a meaningful decrease in the state prison population, there is opportunity to make meaningful changes. The current prison population stands at approximately 28,000 people, far below the close to 37,000 people in custody in March of 2020 and the total rated capacity for all of the facilities run by IDOC, which is just over 32,000. Given a shrinking population, statewide staffing vacancies in IDOC, old and decrepit prisons or living units that are not fit for human habitation, and lack of resources for programming and treatment, both short and long terms plan for system reorganization and change must be made and shared publicly.

JHA Testimony in support of the FY23 Proposed Budget for the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice to the House Appropriations - Public Safety Committee and Senate Appropriations—Criminal Justice Sub Committee (March 2022)

JHA testimony in support of the FY23 Proposed Budget for the Illinois Department of Corrections to the House Appropriations - Public Safety Committee, March 16, 2022

JHA Testimony in support of the FY23 Proposed Budget for the Illinois Department of Corrections to the Senate Appropriations—Criminal Justice Subcommittee, March 1, 2022.

As of February 2022, IDOC is many months into a commissary disruption that has impacted the supply of items that incarcerated people rely on being able to purchase through commissary. The causes and effects of the commissary disruption are detailed more fully in JHA’s December 2021 Update on Commissary Issues. Read our update here.

JHA submits this testimony to the Illinois House Criminal Law Committee in support of HB 5273, the bill to expand the jurisdiction of the existing Office of Independent Juvenile Ombudsman (OIJO), which provides oversight to the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). The OIJO was established in 2015 and has made a difference in our system and in the lives of the youth in state custody since its inception. The benefits of the OIJO’s increased access to facilities, investigatory power, having an authority responsible for responding to youth grievances and issues, and reporting information to the public cannot be overstated.

The Illinois Reporting of Deaths in Custody Act (DCRA) was included in the SAFE-T Act passed by the Illinois Legislature in 2021 and signed into law by Gov. Pritzker shortly after passage. The DCRA mandates increased information collection and public reporting of all deaths of persons in the custody of Illinois law enforcement and correctional agencies, as well as arrest-related deaths.

Although the law is already in effect, thus far no data is publicly available. This statement shares what implementation should include and how it can be accomplished.

Prison commissary is not just an opportunity for people to purchase desirable “extras;” it is how many people meet their basic needs in Illinois prisons. Going without items from commissary increases deprivation and negatively impacts the quality of life for those living in prison. In turn, this fuels a climate that hurts everyone who lives and works in Illinois prisons.

This statement describes issues identified, questions we asked, and information shared by IDOC in order to provide a better understanding of the ongoing commissary difficulties.

When an officer’s behavior is observable, their actions cannot be denied.

As I listened to the news focused on the results of the Derek Chauvin trial and the many responses of relief being articulated in response to the verdict, one point came up with consistency: the impact of the videos taken by people who saw what Officer Chauvin did. Following the verdict, I heard several civil rights leaders and criminal defense attorneys take to social media, radio, and television to articulate the same basic premise: what is different about the Chauvin case is that people saw what happened and had the courage to capture it on video to create evidence. We cannot deny what we see for ourselves.

JHA Testimony in support of the SFY 2022 Proposed Budget for the Illinois Department Corrections to the House Appropriations—Public Safety Committee of the 102nd Illinois General Assembly

JHA Testimony in support of the SFY 2022 Proposed Budget for the Illinois Department Corrections to the Senate Appropriations—Criminal Justice Subcommittee of the 102nd Illinois General Assembly

JHA submits this testimony in support of HB 3887, the bill to create the IDOC Independent Ombudsman Bureau. Correctional Ombuds offices provide critical transparency into the closed system of corrections which creates accountability.

JHA Testimony in support of the SFY 2022 Proposed Budget for the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice to the Senate Appropriations—Criminal Justice Sub Committee of the 102nd Illinois General Assembly, March 17, 2021.

JHA is thrilled that the Governor signed House Bill (HB) 3653, omnibus criminal justice reform legislation, now known as the SAFE-T Act (Safety Accountability Fairness Equity Today) into law. There is more work to be done, but with the enactment of this law, Illinois takes an important step towards achieving a better system for our state -- one that prioritizes equity and fairness along with public safety and smart resource allocation.

JHA urges the State of Virginia to pass and implement HB 2325, creating the Office of Department of Corrections Ombudsman. Every jurisdiction, state, city and county, should have legislatively mandated and funded correctional oversight; there is a national need for increased transparency and to hold correctional agencies accountable for the wellbeing of people in their custody. In every jail, detention center and prison, people who have been denied their liberty should have opportunities for increased procedural fairness, safety and access to unbiased assistance.

JHA applauds the sweeping changes to the criminal justice system that Illinois legislators approved today. These reforms will move us towards a more fair, humane, and effective criminal justice system. Improving transparency and accountability around police behavior, ending cash bond, and addressing sentencing disparities and excessiveness will make the system more fair and just.

JHA is thrilled that two initiatives we have focused on are among the reforms included in the legislation: Death in Custody Reporting and Modernization of Mandatory Supervised Release.

Testimony of the John Howard Association to the Senate Criminal Law Committee of the 101st Illinois General Assembly, Criminal Justice Reform Subject Matter Hearing, October 13, 2020

John Howard Association (JHA): JHA is the only independent citizen correctional oversight organization that goes into Illinois’ prisons to directly observe conditions and speak with staff, administrators and prisoners. I, Phillip Whittington, a criminologist and subject matter expert on corrections employed by JHA come before you today to discuss two subjects, prison conditions and Mandatory Supervised Release.

Testimony of the John Howard Association to the Senate Criminal Law Committee of the 101st Illinois General Assembly, Sentencing Reform Subject Matter Hearing, September 15, 2020

JHA recommendation: Illinois should repeal mandatory minimums, thereby untying the hands of criminal justice practitioners so that they can impose individualized sentences within the scope of the law that are tailored to fit individual offenses. The facts surrounding criminal offenses vary. Mandatory minimums are a one-size-fits-all approach that does not allow practitioners to adjust prison sentences in a way that accounts for this variance, sometimes leading to counterproductive, expensive, and unjust results.

Yesterday the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) issued a statement about a joint investigation of two cases of Legionnaires’ disease at the Pontiac Correctional Center. The Departments note that “IDPH infectious disease staff are working with the facility to collect information and further investigate the illnesses while environmental health staff are conducting a water quality assessment” and that “the facility receives its water from the City of Pontiac and will begin a water quality testing program through an outside laboratory to monitor water quality data on an ongoing basis.” It is important that these steps be taken to stem the spread of disease inside the prison and in the community; however the implication that such proactive precautions and basic protections were not in place to identify and rectify the proliferation of the bacteria in the water and/or air supply prior to evidence of serious illness is profoundly disturbing.

It is indisputable that COVID-19 has an enormously increased harmful impact on the health and lives of people in jails and prisons as compared to the general public. The most effective and humane strategy is and remains releasing as many incarcerated people as possible in order to limit exposure and contagion inside correctional institutions. Failing release, JHA supports using the transfer process laid out by IDOC to accept people from county facilities safely and responsibly. Risk to everyone’s health should be the primary consideration and the recent court order does not allow the necessary precautions to be implemented. The period of quarantine and the need to test for the virus are practices that are designed to keep everyone safe. Release should continue to be the focus of harm reduction strategies in the face of this dangerous pandemic; undoing the other steps that minimize exposure to the virus is shortsighted and prioritizes administrative expediency over human lives and well-being.

JHA applauds Governor Pritzker’s announcement today to move away from a juvenile justice system that is overly punitive, utilizes harsh adult prisons and is detrimental to youth development and success. Governor Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Stratton outlined a vision to transform juvenile justice in Illinois to a system that is nurturing, rehabilitative, and keeps all families safe by focusing on what youth need, not on what they did. Closing existing Illinois Youth Centers which are punitive, stark, and isolating and providing needed support to youth in their communities will improve lives and outcomes. Putting youth in prisons does not teach a lesson or change behavior; quite the opposite, it entrenches the path into the adult prison system.

The ACLU of Illinois, the Children and Family Justice Center at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, the Illinois Justice Project, and the John Howard Association of Illinois issued the following statement in response to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s announcement regarding the transformation of the state’s youth prisons to smaller, regional residential centers.

We commend Gov. Pritzker, Lt. Gov. Stratton and IDJJ Director Mueller on this important reform of the juvenile justice system in Illinois. They recognize that a prison cell is the last place a young person should be forced to live.

It is critically important that we know and better understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the health, safety, and quality of life of people who are incarcerated in Illinois’ prisons. In order to get this information, JHA conducted our first ever system-wide survey. We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for this project. To date, we have collected 16,236 surveys from people who are incarcerated in IDOC; this represents an astounding 49% response rate. Our INITIAL DATA FINDINGS show that there are areas where practices have been mixed or require improvements.

During COVID-19, our Governor and others have shown leadership in modifying some impediments to IDOC taking swifter action to save lives and improve conditions in prison. There remain many such pressing opportunities to act to temporarily lift housing and care barriers. Governmental actors must collaborate to find ways to best reintegrate people to communities. Incarceration remains a hugely expensive and dangerous solution that will continue to be untenable.

Joint statement by the Cook County Public Defender and the John Howard Association

As Illinois continues to take extraordinary measures to minimize all citizens’ exposure to COVID-19 and contagion, it is clear that there are places that inherently pose greater risk. These include nursing homes, jails and prisons.

With a highly contagious disease infecting people all over the world, there is understandable concern about the presence of the coronavirus in prisons and management of it once exposure has been realized.  Having plans for prevention and treatment in place is critical to minimizing the impact of the virus. 

In order for Illinois’ prisons to be safe for adults and youth in its custody, as well as the staff and administrators that work inside them, immediate improvements in conditions, treatment, accountability, communication, and structural changes must be made. Noting that IDOC and IDJJ are different in size, scope and where each system is on a continuum of change, JHA offers the following recommendations to achieve a safer system that will produce better individual outcomes and increased public safety.

On September 6th, Governor Rauner signed Executive Order 2017-05, establishing the Governor’s Opioid Prevention and Intervention Task Force. Concurrently, the Governor’s Office issued the State of Illinois Opioid Action Plan. The purpose of the new Task Force is to implement the Action Plan with the stated goals of preventing further spread of the opioid crisis, treating and promoting the recovery of individuals with opioid use disorder, and responding effectively to avert opioid overdose deaths.

JHA has long urged Illinois to revisit the effectiveness of our sex offender management laws and address barriers to reentry. These issues were stressed in JHA’s 2013 report on the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) facility Big Muddy River Correctional Center, where more than 50% of the population, nearly 1,000 men, are identified as sex offenders, including the civilly committed Sexually Dangerous Persons (SDP) population.

JHA believes that the State of Illinois should provide a state identification card to all people leaving the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections and the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice at no cost to the incarcerated individual.

In July of 2017 the Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act, S. 1524, was introduced by U.S. Senators Corey Booker (NJ), Kamala Harris (CA), Elizabeth Warren (MA) and Illinois’ senior Senator Richard Durbin. As Illinois’ only independent, non-partisan prison watchdog and advocate for a fair, humane and effective criminal justice system, the John Howard Association of Illinois (JHA) applauds this step.

The John Howard Association applauds Governor Bruce Rauner for signing Senate Bill 1413 into law. This new law allows men and women to receive their birth certificate for no fee upon their release from the Department of Corrections, which removes one of the largest obstacles for returning citizens to obtain state identification cards once they leave prison.

In the past few years Illinois has made great strides in reforming the state’s juvenile justice system. Agency leaders, legislators, stakeholders and advocates have worked together to integrate new research, evidenced-based best practices, and a renewed commitment to improve rehabilitative outcomes in our juvenile justice system.

Illinois, the fifth largest state in the United States, is on the verge of entering a third year without a state budget; this is the longest any state has gone without a budget in modern history. As May 2017 draws to a close, the State is running a deficit of close to $6 billion, owes approximately $14.5 billion in overdue bills and will owe an estimated $800 million in late fees and interest payments on these overdue bills.

Raising the threshold amount for felony theft will allow Illinois to direct resources into communities and away from our costly and impaired prison system. Incarceration is an expensive and frequently ineffective response to crime that Illinois can no longer afford.

The John Howard Association commends the Governor’s Commission on Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform for their work on the final report which was issued today. The recommendations include important ways we can reduce the inmate population in Illinois, as well as increase the likelihood of reentry success as prisoners return home.

Hearing before the House Judiciary Criminal Committee.

As we await the results of the 2016 elections, it is time for Illinois to turn our focus from politics to policy. Regardless of who will be taking office at the federal, state and county levels come January 2017, criminal justice system reform must be a priority.

The John Howard Association of Illinois (JHA) applauds the announcement by Governor Rauner that the State will close the “roundhouse,” Unit F, at Stateville Correctional Center.

JHA supports the rule changes to 20 Ill. Adm. Code 504 filed by IDOC on July 1, 2016. If adopted by this committee, the proposed rule changes will be an important and constructive effort to reform IDOC's policies related to solitary confinement. These efforts must be furthered.

The petty, irresponsible infighting between Illinois’ executive and legislative leaders must end. Real lives are being destroyed, and state systems and agencies that citizens rely on as lifelines to basic necessities and care are being decimated.

As the need for criminal justice and prison reform in Illinois has again become the subject of statewide conversation and political action, the John Howard Association of Illinois (JHA) urges citizens, policymakers and administrators to be specific and pragmatic regarding the goals and practices of incarceration.

Hearing before the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.

The John Howard Association is thrilled with yesterday’s announcement by Governor Rauner and members of the General Assembly about the bipartisan legislation that has been introduced that will advance reform of Illinois’ criminal justice system.

The John Howard Association of Illinois (JHA) applauds today’s announcement to close Illinois Youth Center Kewanee (Kewanee), and supports Director Jones’ vision for a more rehabilitative juvenile justice system in Illinois by investing in community based services for youth rather than relying on large custodial institutions for those adjudicated delinquent.

Currently Illinois’ state hiring process involves multiple rules, procedural steps, and levels of review.

The John Howard Association of Illinois (JHA) congratulates John Baldwin on his appointment as the new Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC).

JHA commends the Commission for its initial report, and agrees with the findings, processes, and goals articulated therein. The challenge now facing the Commission and Illinois is to take bold action to put this conceptual framework into practice.

As the only independent group that systemically monitors Illinois' correctional facilities, the John Howard Association believes that we should not close the Hardin County Work Camp. While Illinois needs to cut costs to become fiscally solvent, the relatively small savings resulting from closing this work camp weighed against the benefits it provides and the potential harms of eliminating the program do not justify closure.

The John Howard Association is pleased to announce that Jennifer Vollen-Katz has been appointed its new Executive Director, effective May 6, 2015.

JHA supports Cook County policy shift on diverting low level drug offenses from criminal prosecution.

The John Howard Association of Illinois congratulates Donald Stolworthy on his appointment as the new Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Hearing on Proposed Resolution Urging the Illinois General Assembly to Pass HB 172 to Restore Judicial Discretion in the Transfer of Juveniles to Adult Court.

On February 4, the Governor laid out his plan for criminal justice reform in his state of the state address, and a written agenda, “The Illinois Turnaround.”