More than a Conviction
Stories of Children Sentenced to Life Without Parole in Illinois
Project overview
Who?
This project centers the 104 children (based on Restore Justice’s research) who were sentenced to juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) in Illinois between 1979 and 2012. Due to several U.S. and Illinois Supreme Court decisions, some of these people have been released from prison after being behind bars for decades. There are also many people still incarcerated with these sentences. In order to better understand the impact of this issue, Restore Justice interviewed several people who received these sentences in Illinois as well as their loved ones.
Learn more about the court cases affecting JLWOP sentencesWhy?
Restore Justice undertook this project to share stories that are often untold in debates about criminal legal system reform. The narratives that resulted from interviews document the lives of people who served or are currently serving JLWOP sentences, and underscore the negative impact of extreme sentencing practices on loved ones. Restore Justice hopes these stories and additional findings outlined in the accompanying report will inform and inspire legislative changes for more compassionate and human-centered sentencing practices state and nationwide.
Read more about Restore Justice’s current legislative agendaThe following data is based on research by Restore Justice as of June 2024.
104
children were sentenced to JLWOP in Illinois
between 1978 and 2012.
42%
are still behind bars
Despite U.S. and Illinois Supreme Court decisions that led to some people sentenced to JLWOP being released, 43 people remain incarcerated.
≥9
people have since been exonerated
or released based on wrongful convictions.
Stories of Juvenile Life Without Parole
These narratives based on detailed interviews (and questionnaires for those still incarcerated) document the lives, experiences, and aspirations of children sentenced to die in prison and their loved ones.
These stories have been edited for length and clarity.
Returning Citizens
Approximately half (at least 47%) of the original 104 children sentenced to life without parole in Illinois have been released from prison. These stories highlight their unique experiences from childhood to incarceration at a young age, as well as their transition from prison to freedom. These stories also emphasize the incredible contribution these people are now making to their families, their communities, and the criminal legal reform movement.
Read Their StoriesIncarcerated Citizens
Half of the children originally sentenced to die in prison in Illinois are still incarcerated decades later. Some have not yet been resentenced and others have been resentenced to a discretionary life sentence (which is not prohibited nationally in the U.S.) These stories document their experiences before and during incarceration, as well as their desire for an opportunity to be agents of change in and beyond their community.
Read their storiesSystem-Impacted Loved Ones
When a child is sentenced to die in prison, shockwaves are sent through families and communities. Parents, siblings, partners, children, aunts and uncles, and friends all experience loss and must adapt to relationships forever changed by incarceration. These stories explore the impact of JLWOP sentences on loved ones, who are undoubtedly the collateral victims of the criminal legal system.
Read their Stories