{"id":325,"date":"2023-03-16T22:05:06","date_gmt":"2023-03-16T22:05:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.restorejustice.org\/?page_id=325"},"modified":"2024-11-11T12:09:36","modified_gmt":"2024-11-11T17:09:36","slug":"prison-conditions-practices","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.restorejustice.org\/issues\/prison-conditions-practices\/","title":{"rendered":"Prison Conditions &amp; Practices"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"wp-block-standard-hero bg-navy-deep\">\n    \n    <div>\n      \n      <div class=\"px-mobile xl:px-desktop pt-14 pb-12 lg:py-18 xl:py-32\">\n        <div class=\"container\">\n          \n          <div\n            class=\"pb-14 lg:pb-16 breadcrumbs uppercase font-extrabold text-sm leading-4 text-white tracking-wider flex flex-wrap lg:w-auto\">\n            <p id=\"breadcrumbs\"><span><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.restorejustice.org\/\">Home<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>          <\/div>\n\n          \n                      <div>\n              <h1\n                class=\"text-blue font-heading font-normal text-5xl leading-[52px] tracking-wider xl:text-6xl xl:leading-[64px] xxxl:text-7xl xxxl:leading-[96px]\">\n                Prison Conditions and Practices\n              <\/h1>\n            <\/div>\n          \n          \n                      <div\n              class=\"text-white wysiwyg font-body font-normal text-xl lg:max-w-[45%] leading-7 tracking-wide pt-5 lg:pt-7\">\n              <p>In recent years, the Illinois Department of Corrections has been sued across multiple class action suits on issues ranging from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aclu-il.org\/en\/cases\/lippert-v-godinez\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">inadequate medical care<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/dockets.justia.com\/docket\/illinois\/ilsdce\/3:2015cv00309\/70322\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">physical and sexual abuse<\/a> at the hands of militarized tactical squads. These suits point to the degrading and potentially criminal conditions in correctional facilities, which may end up <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loevy.com\/consistent-impacts\/60-million-strip-search-settlements-cook-county-jail-prisoners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">costing taxpayers millions<\/a> in payouts and settlements.<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n          \n          \n          <div class=\"items-center flex flex-wrap lg:flex-nowrap\">\n            \n            \n            \n                      <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/section>\n<section class=\"wp-block-text-banner\">\n        \n        <div class=\"lg:flex\">\n            \n                            <div class=\"bg-gray-light px-mobile lg:px-desktop py-12 lg:pt-14 lg:w-1\/3\">\n                    <h3 class=\"text-black-brand wysiwyg font-heading font-normal text-3xl leading-9 tracking-wide\"><p>Research shows harsh conditions <a href=\"https:\/\/www.anderson.ucla.edu\/faculty\/keith.chen\/papers\/Final_ALER07.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">don\u2019t reduce recidivism<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1443093\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">can actually have the opposite effect<\/a>. And since most people who enter prison will one day be released, society is best served when time behind bars prepares these individuals to live responsibly once returned.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n                <\/div>\n            \n            \n            <div class=\"bg-white lg:w-2\/3\">\n                <div class=\"px-mobile lg:px-desktop pt-12 pb-14\">\n                    \n                                            <div class=\"max-w-[740px] wysiwyg text-black-brand\">\n                            <p class=\"m-0\"><p>Investing in prison <a href=\"https:\/\/eric.ed.gov\/?id=EJ740028\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">programming shown to reduce recidivism<\/a> is one way to make prisons a pathway to rehabilitation, rather than an anchor that drags and keeps people down. Supporting programs that divert at-risk youth from criminal activity before they ever enter is another.<\/p>\n<p>Whatever path is chosen, one thing is certain: the human, social, and economic costs of our current prison state are now intolerable, and change can\u2019t wait any longer.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                    \n                    \n                    <div class=\"flex items-center pt-4\">\n                        \n                        \n                        \n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n<section class=\"wp-block-text-banner\">\n        \n        <div class=\"lg:flex\">\n            \n                            <div class=\"bg-red px-mobile lg:px-desktop py-12 lg:pt-14 lg:w-1\/3\">\n                    <h3 class=\"text-white wysiwyg font-heading font-normal text-3xl leading-9 tracking-wide\"><p>our work in prison conditions and practices<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n                <\/div>\n            \n            \n            <div class=\"bg-gray-light lg:w-2\/3\">\n                <div class=\"px-mobile lg:px-desktop pt-12 pb-14\">\n                    \n                                            <div class=\"max-w-[740px] wysiwyg text-navy-deep\">\n                            <p class=\"m-0\"><p>Restore Justice supports efforts to move towards Illinois corrections towards a model that values rehabilitation over punishment. This includes making healthcare more affordable for people who are incarcerated, allowing family and loved ones to visit them more often, and reducing the use of solitary confinement as a punitive measure.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                    \n                    \n                    <div class=\"flex items-center pt-4\">\n                        \n                        \n                        \n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n<section class=\"wp-block-grid-of-posts-preview section-margin\">\n    <div class=\"mx-auto px-mobile lg:px-desktop\">\n      <div class=\"container\">\n                  <div class=\"mb-12\">\n                          <h2 class=\"text-h2 text-center text-blue\">\n  Learn More About Issues Related to Prison Conditions and Practices\n<\/h2>\n            \n                      <\/div>\n        \n        \n                  <div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-7.5\">\n                          <article class=\"bg-gray-light vue-card-post\">\n                <card-post :post='{\"ID\":6136,\"title\":\"Mail Scanning\",\"content\":\"\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\u003Ch2 class=\\u0022wp-block-heading\\u0022 id=\\u0022h-what-is-mail-scanning\\u0022\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EWHAT IS MAIL SCANNING?\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/h2\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EMail scanning programs scan the original, physical mail sent to people who are incarcerated and reproduce it into digital copies. These inferior digital copies are then transferred to individual tablets, shared kiosks, or reprinted on paper. Mail scanning occurs within correctional facilities or under the control of a third-party provider. The original copies are typically destroyed, and the people in prison never get to see or hold the original letter.\\u0026nbsp;\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EPeople who are incarcerated rely on postal mail to receive letters from people in their support system, drawings from their children, photos of loved ones, love letters from spouses, birthday or holiday cards, religious materials from faith leaders, coursework from professors, books, magazines, and newsletters.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EBecause most people are incarcerated far from home, mail is often the least expensive and most-used way for them to stay in touch with their loved ones. Mail scanning replaces this vital form of family contact with a needlessly complicated process that imposes more costs on families and fails to make prisons or communities any safer.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\u003Ch2 class=\\u0022wp-block-heading\\u0022 id=\\u0022h-why-does-it-matter\\u0022\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EWHY DOES IT MATTER?\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/h2\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EMail scanning has skyrocketed in popularity among correctional facilities in the United States. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/17\\\/mail-scanning\\\/\\u0022\\u003E25 state prison systems\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E have implemented mail scanning as of May 2025. Many other states have pilot programs that will likely become permanent before long, or that allow them to scan mail in certain situations.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThe practice of mail scanning has risen in prominence principally due to the myth among prison officials that mail scanning will stop the flow of contraband into jails and prisons. However, there is no evidence of this effect, and in some states, drug use and overdoses have \\u003Cem\\u003Eincreased\\u003C\\\/em\\u003E after the implementation of mail scanning policies.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EMail scanning imposes numerous burdens on people who are incarcerated and their loved ones without making prisons safer. Mail scanning presents a number of problems:\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EMail scanning fails to eliminate contraband in prisons, which is the problem it claims to solve.\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EMail scanning does not make prisons safer. Contraband prevention is the central argument that correctional staff and third-party providers employ to justify mail scanning. However, mail scanning is not an effective way to prevent contraband from entering correctional facilities. In many states, mail scanning has shown little, if any, effect on the flow of contraband. In some states, rates of substance use and overdose have even increased following the implementation of mail scanning.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EAcross a number of metrics, \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.pennlive.com\\\/news\\\/2023\\\/04\\\/nearly-5-years-after-inmate-mail-scanning-policy-took-effect-pa-prison-drug-problem-remains.html\\u0022\\u003Ethe drug problem in Pennsylvania state prisons actually became worse after mail scanning procedures went into effect\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E. Five years in, the rate of people incarcerated in Pennsylvania testing positive on random drug screenings nearly tripled compared to rates before the change.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EA year after the New Mexico Corrections Department banned physical mail and implemented mail scanning, \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/30\\\/punishing-drug-use\\\/\\u0022\\u003Ethe state reported the new procedure had no effect on drug use in the state prison system\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E. In fact, the rate of positive random drug test results nearly doubled, reversing a previous trend of three years of reduced drug use in New Mexico\\u2019s prisons.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EIn the first half of 2022, Missouri prisons averaged just over 34 overdoses per month. The Missouri Department of Corrections began mail scanning on July 1, 2022; in the following months, \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/web.archive.org\\\/web\\\/20250603200302\\\/https:\\\/\\\/www.riverfronttimes.com\\\/news\\\/overdoses-rise-in-missouri-prisons-despite-strict-new-mail-policy-38708405\\u0022\\u003Eoverdoses rose to 39 per month on average.\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThese are only three of many examples of how mail scanning is ineffective and detrimental to the presence of contraband in the first place.\\u0026nbsp;In reality, contraband also often enters correctional facilities through correctional staff. After conducting a thorough review of news reports of contraband entering jails across the country in 2018, the Prison Policy Initiative concluded that \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2018\\\/12\\\/06\\\/jail-contraband\\\/#:~:text=I%20reviewed%20news%20stories%20of,local%20jail%20comes%20through%20staff.\\u0022\\u003E\\u201calmost all contraband introduced to any local jail comes through staff.\\u201d\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E It\\u2019s not unreasonable to draw similar conclusions regarding prisons.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EMail scanning creates low-quality copies that are blurry and consistently delayed.\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThe mail scanning technology third parties and correctional facilities employ often produces copies that are blurry, have missing pages and cut-off words, or are otherwise illegible. Part of this can be attributed to converting colored mail into black-and-white copies, which can deteriorate the image quality. In states with mail scanning policies, people who are incarcerated report that scanned photographs can render faces unrecognizable.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EMail scanning procedures themselves also cause delays. The extra steps add room for mistakes like misdelivery and accidental disposal, both of which have been reported in states with mail scanning policies.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EMail scanning increases costs for loved ones while major telecommunication companies profit.\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EMail scanning imposes additional, unnecessary financial burdens on loved ones. For instance, in \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.vera.org\\\/news\\\/the-fcc-is-capping-outrageous-prison-phone-rates-but-companies-are-still-price-gouging\\u0022\\u003EFlorida\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E, where mail scanning was introduced in 2022, people who are incarcerated need to pay per page to have their mail printed. It costs $0.10 per page to print in black and white and $1.00 per page to print in color. In \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.vera.org\\\/news\\\/the-fcc-is-capping-outrageous-prison-phone-rates-but-companies-are-still-price-gouging\\u0022\\u003ENorth Carolina\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E, family and friends sending mail to their loved ones in prison need to download an app to send letters or cards for scanning and pay a fee to have these documents sent.\\u0026nbsp;\\u0026nbsp;Mail scanning creates inevitable restrictions, delays, and overall loss of sentimental value. These downsides push people who are incarcerated and their loved ones to rely on other, more expensive forms of communication. As a result, they face increased costs when they switch to email, phone calls, or video visits. For instance, there is a cost associated with sending email to or from prison, making prisons one of the only place in the world where people have to pay for email. Email and other modes of communication are typically controlled by the same \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/prospect.org\\\/justice\\\/physical-mail-could-be-eliminated-at-federal-prisons\\\/\\u0022\\u003Emajor telecommunication companies\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E that control mail scanning. These major companies profit off of the increased financial burdens families face.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EMail scanning authorizes unnecessary surveillance and violates privacy.\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EWhen personal letters are in the hands of a third-party company, people who are incarcerated and their loved ones are at risk of having their personal information and data compromised. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.vice.com\\\/en\\\/article\\\/prison-mail-surveillance-company-keeps-tabs-on-those-on-the-outside-too\\\/\\u0022\\u003ESmart Communications privately advertised its mail scanning program, MailGuard, to the Virginia Department of Corrections as a tool to identify \\u201cgang members.\\u201d\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E This service gives investigators access to information such as the mail sender\\u2019s cell phone number, GPS location, email address, physical address, IP Address, and any related accounts the sender may use. Smart Communications\\u2019 contract proposal stated that MailGuard would create a searchable database that could track everything each person who is incarcerated has sent and received. With the company\\u2019s policy of destroying physical copies after 30 days and retaining all digital copies for seven years, mail scanning creates significant privacy concerns for anyone sending or receiving mail. Mail scanning surveils and profiles people on both sides of prison walls, diminishing the rights and privacy of people who are incarcerated and their loved ones.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThis added surveillance may make people sending mail feel uncomfortable, which may lead to less frequent or less robust communication between people in prison and their outside support system. This in turn can lead to poor mental health and worse reentry outcomes for people who are incarcerated.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EMail scanning strips people who are incarcerated of a valuable, physical connection to home and stands in the way of rehabilitation.\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EOther than in-person visits, mail is the only semblance of a tangible connection to home in the highly isolating environment of a prison. It is a significant lifeline and one of the most important means to maintain connections to loved ones. People often read and reread their mail to be reminded of their support system. To digitize physical mail is to eliminate the art, beauty, sentimentality, emotion, texture, and even scent unique to physical correspondence. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.brennancenter.org\\\/our-work\\\/research-reports\\\/why-mail-service-so-important-people-prison\\u0022\\u003EAs one mother stated\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E, \\u201cMy children\\u2019s lives have become tangible with every piece of mail that I have received. We were able to touch, hug, kiss, and cry together through letters\\u2026 One letter feels as if it could fill one thousand days.\\u201d\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EPeople who are incarcerated and their loved ones know that staying connected is an essential, beneficial form of support. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/21\\\/family_contact\\\/#:~:text=The%20research%20is%20clear%3A%20visitation,recidivism%2C%20and%20improvement%20in%20school\\u0022\\u003EDecades of academic research support this insight\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E with robust evidence that visits, mail, phone, and other forms of family contact have meaningful, positive impacts on people who are incarcerated: better health, better behavior, and better post-release outcomes, including being \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/21\\\/family_contact\\\/#:~:text=The%20research%20is%20clear%3A%20visitation,recidivism%2C%20and%20improvement%20in%20school\\u0022\\u003Eless likely to return to prison\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E after release.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EMail is often the most commonly used, affordable, and accessible form of communication for people who are incarcerated and their loved ones. Replacing this vital form of family contact with mail scanning only exacerbates the dehumanization people who are incarcerated already experience.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EMost people in prison will someday return home to their communities. Making it harder for them to stay connected to their support systems does not make anyone safer, inside and outside of prison.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\u003Ch2 class=\\u0022wp-block-heading\\u0022 id=\\u0022h-what-s-next\\u0022\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EWHAT\\u2019S NEXT?\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/h2\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThe Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) began using mail scanning in facilities statewide in September 2025, despite lacking evidence to show that mail scanning will solve the alleged problem of contraband. In August 2025, the Governor signed Public Act 104-0412 to provide data on what contraband is entering IDOC facilities and how it is getting into prisons. Before the new law could go into effect or yield any findings, the IDOC rolled out the new mail scanning process, restricting a critical form of connection and bypassing the data-driven approach that lawmakers intended.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\u003Ch2 class=\\u0022wp-block-heading\\u0022 id=\\u0022h-want-to-learn-more\\u0022\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EWANT TO LEARN MORE?\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/h2\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EPrison Policy Initiative has conducted \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/17\\\/mail-scanning\\\/\\u0022\\u003Eextensive research\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E into the practice and impact of mail scanning. This \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.vice.com\\\/en\\\/article\\\/prison-mail-surveillance-company-keeps-tabs-on-those-on-the-outside-too\\\/\\u0022\\u003Einvestigation\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E, alongside the work of other notable organizations like \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.vera.org\\\/news\\\/the-fcc-is-capping-outrageous-prison-phone-rates-but-companies-are-still-price-gouging\\u0022\\u003EVera\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E and \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.brennancenter.org\\\/our-work\\\/research-reports\\\/why-mail-service-so-important-people-prison\\u0022\\u003EBrennan Center for Justice\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E, offers valuable findings as well. Mail scanning is just one of the ways prisons restrict and monetize communication between people who are incarcerated and their loved ones - dig into \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/communications.html\\u0022\\u003EPPI\\u2019s research and analysis of this phenomenon\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E to learn more.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Cem\\u003ELinked Sources:\\u003C\\\/em\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EBrown, M., \\u0026amp; Dayen, D. (2021, February 24). \\u003Cem\\u003EPhysical mail could be eliminated at Federal Prisons\\u003C\\\/em\\u003E. The American Prospect. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/prospect.org\\\/justice\\\/physical-mail-could-be-eliminated-at-federal-prisons\\\/\\u0026nbsp;\\u0022\\u003Ehttps:\\\/\\\/prospect.org\\\/justice\\\/physical-mail-could-be-eliminated-at-federal-prisons\\\/\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EDholakia, N. (2024, September 4). \\u003Cem\\u003EThe FCC Is Capping Outrageous Prison Phone Rates, but Companies Are Still Price Gouging\\u003C\\\/em\\u003E. Vera Institute of Justice. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.vera.org\\\/news\\\/the-fcc-is-capping-outrageous-prison-phone-rates-but-companies-are-still-price-gouging\\u0026nbsp;\\u0022\\u003Ehttps:\\\/\\\/www.vera.org\\\/news\\\/the-fcc-is-capping-outrageous-prison-phone-rates-but-companies-are-still-price-gouging\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EGordon, A. (2021, March 24). \\u003Cem\\u003EPrison Mail Surveillance Company keeps tabs on those on the outside, too\\u003C\\\/em\\u003E. VICE. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.vice.com\\\/en\\\/article\\\/prison-mail-surveillance-company-keeps-tabs-on-those-on-the-outside-too\\\/\\u0026nbsp;\\u0022\\u003Ehttps:\\\/\\\/www.vice.com\\\/en\\\/article\\\/prison-mail-surveillance-company-keeps-tabs-on-those-on-the-outside-too\\\/\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EHoopes, Z. (2023, April 21). Despite 5 years of mail scanning to keep drugs from Pa. Prisons, problems remain. Pennlive. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.pennlive.com\\\/news\\\/2023\\\/04\\\/nearly-5-years-after-inmate-mail-scanning-policy-took-effect-pa-prison-drug-problem-remains.html\\u0026nbsp;\\u0026nbsp;\\u0022\\u003Ehttps:\\\/\\\/www.pennlive.com\\\/news\\\/2023\\\/04\\\/nearly-5-years-after-inmate-mail-scanning-policy-took-effect-pa-prison-drug-problem-remains.html\\u0026nbsp;\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EKrull, R. (2022, October 17). \\u003Cem\\u003EOverdoses rise in Missouri prisons despite strict new mail policy\\u003C\\\/em\\u003E. Riverfront Times. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.riverfronttimes.com\\\/news\\\/overdoses-rise-in-missouri-prisons-despite-strict-new-mail-policy-38708405\\u0026nbsp;\\u0022\\u003Ehttps:\\\/\\\/www.riverfronttimes.com\\\/news\\\/overdoses-rise-in-missouri-prisons-despite-strict-new-mail-policy-38708405\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003ENahra, A., \\u0026amp; Arzy, L. (2020, September 29). Why mail service is so important to people in prison. Brennan Center for Justice. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.brennancenter.org\\\/our-work\\\/research-reports\\\/why-mail-service-so-important-people-prison\\u0022\\u003Ehttps:\\\/\\\/www.brennancenter.org\\\/our-work\\\/research-reports\\\/why-mail-service-so-important-people-prison\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003ERenaud, J. (2018, December 6). \\u003Cem\\u003EWho\\u2019s really bringing contraband into jails? our 2018 survey confirms it\\u2019s staff, not visitors\\u003C\\\/em\\u003E. Prison Policy Initiative. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2018\\\/12\\\/06\\\/jail-contraband\\\/#:~:text=I%20reviewed%20news%20stories%20of,local%20jail%20comes%20through%20staff\\u0022\\u003Ehttps:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2018\\\/12\\\/06\\\/jail-contraband\\\/#:~:text=I%20reviewed%20news%20stories%20of,local%20jail%20comes%20through%20staff\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EWang, L. (2021, December 21). \\u003Cem\\u003EResearch roundup: The positive impacts of family contact for incarcerated people and their families\\u003C\\\/em\\u003E. Prison Policy Initiative. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/21\\\/family_contact\\\/#:~:text=The%20research%20is%20clear%3A%20visitation,recidivism%2C%20and%20improvement%20in%20school\\u0022\\u003Ehttps:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/21\\\/family_contact\\\/#:~:text=The%20research%20is%20clear%3A%20visitation,recidivism%2C%20and%20improvement%20in%20school\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EWang, L. (2022, November 17). \\u003Cem\\u003EMail scanning: A harsh and exploitative new trend in prisons\\u003C\\\/em\\u003E. Prison Policy Initiative. https:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/17\\\/mail-scanning\\\/\\u0026nbsp;Widra, E. (2024, January 30). \\u003Cem\\u003EAddicted to punishment: Jails and prisons punish drug use far more than they treat it\\u003C\\\/em\\u003E. Prison Policy Initiative. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/30\\\/punishing-drug-use\\\/\\u0022\\u003Ehttps:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/30\\\/punishing-drug-use\\\/\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Cem\\u003EThis explainer was updated on October 31, 2025.\\u003C\\\/em\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\",\"excerpt\":\"Mail scanning programs scan the original, physical mail sent to people who are incarcerated and reproduce it into digital copies. These inferior digital copies are then transferred to individual tablets, shared kiosks, or reprinted on paper. Mail scanning occurs within correctional facilities or under the control of a third-party provider. The original copies are typically destroyed, and the people in prison never get to see or hold the original letter.\\u00a0\\u00a0People who are incarcerated rely on postal mail to receive letters from people in their support system, drawings from their children, photos of loved ones, love letters from spouses, birthday or holiday cards, religious materials from faith leaders, coursework from professors, books, magazines, and newsletters.\\u00a0\\nBecause most people are incarcerated far from home, mail is often the least expensive and most-used way for them to stay in touch with their loved ones. Mail scanning replaces this vital form of family contact with a needlessly complicated process that imposes more costs on families and fails to make prisons or communities any safer.\",\"auto_excerpt\":\"Mail scanning programs scan the original, physical mail sent to people who are incarcerated and reproduce it into digital copies. These inferior digital copies are then transferred to individual tablets,...\",\"link\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/mail-scanning\\\/\",\"featured_image\":0,\"featured_image_html\":\"\",\"featured_caption\":\"\",\"date\":\"2024-11-11 12:07:43\",\"display_date\":\"November 11th, 2024\",\"post_type\":\"post\",\"taxonomies\":{\"category\":[{\"ID\":27,\"label\":\"Know More\",\"slug\":\"know-more\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"}]},\"primary_term\":{\"ID\":27,\"label\":\"Know More\",\"slug\":\"know-more\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"},\"author\":null,\"cta_title\":\"Read Article\",\"colours\":{\"bg\":{\"primary\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"secondary\":\"bg-blue\",\"single\":\"bg-navy\"},\"text\":{\"primary\":\"text-white\"},\"social\":{\"bg\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"text\":\"text-white hover:bg-blue group-hover:bg-blue\"},\"secondary_link\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"underline\":\"text-red\"},\"label_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":{\"box\":\"text-blue\",\"heading\":\"text-red\"},\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum text-white\",\"carousel_button\":\"bg-blue\",\"headings\":{\"large\":\"text-blue\",\"dark\":\"text-blue\",\"small\":\"text-white\"},\"download_card\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"bg\":\"bg-navy\",\"icon\":\"text-red\"},\"card\":{\"link\":\"text-white\",\"text\":\"text-white\",\"heading\":\"text-white\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"stat\":\"text-blue\",\"logo\":\"text-blue\",\"icon\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":\"text-red\"},\"hero\":{\"heading\":\"text-blue\",\"secondary_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum\"},\"tabs\":{\"text\":\"text-black-brand\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"bg\":\"bg-blue\",\"active-text\":\"text-white\"}}}' \/>\n              <\/article>\n                          <article class=\"bg-gray-light vue-card-post\">\n                <card-post :post='{\"ID\":4669,\"title\":\"Report Reveals Urgent Need for Restricting Solitary Confinement in Illinois\",\"content\":\"\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EToday, Chicago Lawyers\\u2019 Committee for Civil Rights, Restore Justice, and Uptown People\\u2019s Law Center have released a critical report titled \\u201cEnding Long Term Solitary Confinement in Illinois\\u201d describing the urgent need for solitary confinement reform in Illinois. The Illinois General Assembly is considering the Nelson Mandela Act (HB 4828), which would restrict solitary confinement by prohibiting prisons from holding individuals in solitary for more than 20 hours a day for more than 10 days.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThis new report authored by Chris Bridges and David Shapiro of Chicago Lawyers\\u2019 Committee for Civil Rights and Kate Schwartz of Hughes Socol Piers Resnick \\u0026amp; Dym, Ltd., outlines the inhumane practice of solitary confinement and explains how it is seen as torture under international human rights law.\\u0026nbsp;\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/static1.squarespace.com\\\/static\\\/64772b94b1a4a2569477aaeb\\\/t\\\/6615ac2cf7f38c627b54c346\\\/1712696374157\\\/Solitary+Report+%282%29.pdf\\u0022\\u003ERead the full report here\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\",\"excerpt\":\"\",\"auto_excerpt\":\"Today, Chicago Lawyers\\u2019 Committee for Civil Rights, Restore Justice, and Uptown People\\u2019s Law Center have released a critical report titled \\u201cEnding Long Term Solitary Confinement in Illinois\\u201d describing the urgent...\",\"link\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/report-reveals-urgent-need-for-restricting-solitary-confinement-in-illinois\\\/\",\"featured_image\":0,\"featured_image_html\":\"\",\"featured_caption\":\"\",\"date\":\"2024-04-10 14:21:11\",\"display_date\":\"April 10th, 2024\",\"post_type\":\"post\",\"taxonomies\":{\"category\":[{\"ID\":28,\"label\":\"Press Release\",\"slug\":\"press-release\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"}]},\"primary_term\":{\"ID\":28,\"label\":\"Press Release\",\"slug\":\"press-release\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"},\"author\":null,\"cta_title\":\"Read Article\",\"colours\":{\"bg\":{\"primary\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"secondary\":\"bg-blue\",\"single\":\"bg-navy\"},\"text\":{\"primary\":\"text-white\"},\"social\":{\"bg\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"text\":\"text-white hover:bg-blue group-hover:bg-blue\"},\"secondary_link\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"underline\":\"text-red\"},\"label_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":{\"box\":\"text-blue\",\"heading\":\"text-red\"},\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum text-white\",\"carousel_button\":\"bg-blue\",\"headings\":{\"large\":\"text-blue\",\"dark\":\"text-blue\",\"small\":\"text-white\"},\"download_card\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"bg\":\"bg-navy\",\"icon\":\"text-red\"},\"card\":{\"link\":\"text-white\",\"text\":\"text-white\",\"heading\":\"text-white\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"stat\":\"text-blue\",\"logo\":\"text-blue\",\"icon\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":\"text-red\"},\"hero\":{\"heading\":\"text-blue\",\"secondary_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum\"},\"tabs\":{\"text\":\"text-black-brand\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"bg\":\"bg-blue\",\"active-text\":\"text-white\"}}}' \/>\n              <\/article>\n                          <article class=\"bg-gray-light vue-card-post\">\n                <card-post :post='{\"ID\":3334,\"title\":\"The Dangerous Combination of Rising Temperatures and The American carceral system\",\"content\":\"\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThis summer, Illinois and regions around the United States have experienced sweltering heat. Temperatures in Illinois have reached the 90s and even 100s and are expected to spike again.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EWhile fall may help to cool things off for the near future, we can expect extremely hot temperatures to be an issue every year. Human emissions of heat-trapping gasses have warmed the earth by about two degrees fahrenheit since 1750, \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.ipcc.ch\\\/sr15\\\/\\u0022\\u003Eaccording to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E. The Panel expects temperatures to warm by another three degrees in the coming decades.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThese hot temperatures are forcing people without adequate access to cooling resources to endure inhumane conditions; people who are incarcerated are among these marginalized populations bearing the brunt of the climate crisis.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThere is a strong correlation between mortality rates and heat. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/journals.plos.org\\\/plosone\\\/article?id=10.1371\\\/journal.pone.0281389\\u0022\\u003EResearchers have found\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E \\u201can association between increasing continuous temperature, extreme heat, heatwaves days and mortality, with marked increases for heart disease-related mortality and suicide.\\u201d\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EClimate change exacerbates pre-existing health conditions, and people who are incarcerated are at an increased risk of medical issues. They have even been found to \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/journals.plos.org\\\/plosone\\\/article?id=10.1371\\\/journal.pone.0281389\\u0022\\u003Eage more rapidly than the general population and are diagnosed disproportionately with illnesses\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E such as diabetes. In fact, fifty percent of people who are incarcerated have reported having a \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/ir.lawnet.fordham.edu\\\/cgi\\\/viewcontent.cgi?article=2866\\u0026amp;context=ulj\\u0022\\u003Echronic medical condition\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThe effects of extreme heat are \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/journals.plos.org\\\/plosone\\\/article?id=10.1371\\\/journal.pone.0281389\\u0022\\u003Emost dangerous for people 65 and older\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E. Ten percent of the people incarcerated in the United States are 55 or older, a percentage that is steadily increasing. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/ir.lawnet.fordham.edu\\\/cgi\\\/viewcontent.cgi?article=2866\\u0026amp;context=ulj\\u0022\\u003EAs a result, more people will fall victim to the long-lasting consequences of climate change in prison\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E. It is estimated that temperatures inside prisons that rose 10 degrees above average \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/journals.plos.org\\\/plosone\\\/article?id=10.1371\\\/journal.pone.0281389\\u0022\\u003Ecorrelated with a 5.2% increase in deaths among people incarcerated in state and private prisons\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EA 2016 survey found that about 43 percent of people incarcerated in state prisons have been diagnosed with a mental health condition. Many of these people are treated with psychotropic drugs, which can increase the risk of excessive body temperature. Because of this, people who are incarcerated are much more susceptible to heat-related illnesses. As mentioned above, increased temperatures are correlated with increased suicide rates in prisons. Between 2001 and 2019, researchers found that in the three days following an extremely hot day, suicide rates of people incarcerated increased by 22.8 percent.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003ERising temperatures from climate change do not only negatively affect the health of people who are incarcerated, but also those who are employed in jails and prisons. While temperatures are rising, prisons throughout the United States are experiencing staffing shortages. Staffing shortages could affect the delivery of food and water, access to medical care, and safety protocols. There is also a clear connection between increasing temperatures and violence. One\\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/business.wisc.edu\\\/news\\\/heat-and-risky-behaviors-how-high-temperatures-increase-violence-in-prison\\\/\\u0022\\u003E study found that daily temperatures exceeding 80 degrees fahrenheit have been associated with a 20 percent increase in violent interactions among people that are incarcerated\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E.\\u0026nbsp; The same study found that heat exposure increased violent incidents in a Mississippi prison in 2021. Correctional officers and the people who are incarcerated are at risk, not only of acquiring heat-related illness, but of becoming subject to these spikes of violence.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/theintercept.com\\\/2022\\\/02\\\/12\\\/prisons-texas-heat-air-conditioning-climate-crisis\\\/\\u0022\\u003EBy the end of the century, almost 75 percent of the people incarcerated in the United States will experience more than 50 days a year with a heat index of over 90 degrees\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E. More than half of the prisons, jails, and detention centers in the United States will reach that level by 2100. Without adequate response, people incarcerated throughout the United States will continue to suffer and die as a result of climate change.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:acf\\\/wysiwyg {\\u0022name\\u0022:\\u0022acf\\\/wysiwyg\\u0022,\\u0022data\\u0022:{\\u0022width\\u0022:\\u00221\\u0022,\\u0022_width\\u0022:\\u0022field_wysiwyg_width\\u0022,\\u0022title\\u0022:\\u0022Related Reading\\u0022,\\u0022_title\\u0022:\\u0022field_wysiwyg_title\\u0022,\\u0022subtitle\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022,\\u0022_subtitle\\u0022:\\u0022field_wysiwyg_subtitle\\u0022,\\u0022wysiwyg\\u0022:\\u0022\\\\u003ca href=\\\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/business.wisc.edu\\\/news\\\/heat-and-risky-behaviors-how-high-temperatures-increase-violence-in-prison\\\/\\\\u0022\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003ehttps:\\\/\\\/business.wisc.edu\\\/news\\\/heat-and-risky-behaviors-how-high-temperatures-increase-violence-in-prison\\\/\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\u003c\\\/a\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003e\\u00a0\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\r\\\\n\\\\r\\\\n\\\\u003ca href=\\\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/grist.org\\\/equity\\\/new-study-people-dying-extreme-heat-in-prisons-us\\\/\\\\u0022\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003ehttps:\\\/\\\/grist.org\\\/equity\\\/new-study-people-dying-extreme-heat-in-prisons-us\\\/\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\u003c\\\/a\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003e\\u00a0\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\r\\\\n\\\\r\\\\n\\\\u003ca href=\\\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2023\\\/07\\\/19\\\/climate_change\\\/\\\\u0022\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003ehttps:\\\/\\\/www.prisonpolicy.org\\\/blog\\\/2023\\\/07\\\/19\\\/climate_change\\\/\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\u003c\\\/a\\\\u003e\\u0022,\\u0022_wysiwyg\\u0022:\\u0022field_wysiwyg_wysiwyg\\u0022},\\u0022align\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022,\\u0022mode\\u0022:\\u0022edit\\u0022} \\\/--\\u003E\",\"excerpt\":\"\",\"auto_excerpt\":\"This summer, Illinois and regions around the United States have experienced sweltering heat. Temperatures in Illinois have reached the 90s and even 100s and are expected to spike again. While...\",\"link\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/the-dangerous-combination-of-rising-temperatures-and-the-american-carceral-system\\\/\",\"featured_image\":0,\"featured_image_html\":\"\",\"featured_caption\":\"\",\"date\":\"2023-09-01 14:52:06\",\"display_date\":\"September 1st, 2023\",\"post_type\":\"post\",\"taxonomies\":{\"category\":[{\"ID\":14,\"label\":\"Commentary\",\"slug\":\"commentary\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"}],\"custom-author\":[{\"ID\":47,\"label\":\"Restore Justice\",\"slug\":\"restore-justice\",\"taxonomy\":\"custom-author\"}]},\"primary_term\":{\"ID\":14,\"label\":\"Commentary\",\"slug\":\"commentary\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"},\"author\":{\"ID\":47,\"label\":\"Restore Justice\",\"slug\":\"restore-justice\",\"taxonomy\":\"custom-author\",\"description\":\"\",\"role\":null,\"image\":null,\"social_links\":null},\"cta_title\":\"Read Article\",\"colours\":{\"bg\":{\"primary\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"secondary\":\"bg-blue\",\"single\":\"bg-navy\"},\"text\":{\"primary\":\"text-white\"},\"social\":{\"bg\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"text\":\"text-white hover:bg-blue group-hover:bg-blue\"},\"secondary_link\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"underline\":\"text-red\"},\"label_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":{\"box\":\"text-blue\",\"heading\":\"text-red\"},\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum text-white\",\"carousel_button\":\"bg-blue\",\"headings\":{\"large\":\"text-blue\",\"dark\":\"text-blue\",\"small\":\"text-white\"},\"download_card\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"bg\":\"bg-navy\",\"icon\":\"text-red\"},\"card\":{\"link\":\"text-white\",\"text\":\"text-white\",\"heading\":\"text-white\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"stat\":\"text-blue\",\"logo\":\"text-blue\",\"icon\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":\"text-red\"},\"hero\":{\"heading\":\"text-blue\",\"secondary_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum\"},\"tabs\":{\"text\":\"text-black-brand\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"bg\":\"bg-blue\",\"active-text\":\"text-white\"}}}' \/>\n              <\/article>\n                          <article class=\"bg-gray-light vue-card-post\">\n                <card-post :post='{\"ID\":235,\"title\":\"CO-EXISTING WITH COVID IN ILLINOIS PRISONS: Recommendations for Phase 4 Plans\",\"content\":\"\\u003C!-- wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\u003Ch2\\u003E\\u003C\\\/h2\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EMost regions in Illinois are in Phase 4 of the \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.dph.illinois.gov\\\/restore\\u0022\\u003ERestore Illinois plan\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E. Bars, restaurants, gyms, and salons are open throughout the state, but thousands of incarcerated people still have no indication of when they might see their families or meet with their lawyers, or what criteria will be used to determine a return to visitation. Similarly, all facility activities that involve movement have been curtailed with no stated metrics for restoration and with variations from facility to facility. These activities include basic human needs such as showers, outdoor time, and access to hygiene products and other commissary items.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EThe Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) needs to articulate a plan to re-introduce visitation (familial and legal) and other activities in facilities that do not have active COVID-19 outbreaks and\\\/or in regions of the state that are not targeted for increased COVID-19 mitigations due to problematic trends in public health data.\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EMovement of any kind should be facilitated by adoption of increased testing; IDOC should test all staff and all incarcerated people at regular intervals. Data from tests could be used to develop milestones that, when met, could trigger increased movement.\\u00a0\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:block {\\u0022ref\\u0022:20319} \\\/--\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:heading {\\u0022level\\u0022:3} --\\u003E\\n\\u003Ch3\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EVISITATION\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/h3\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EProcedures for restoring visitation could mirror those of long-term care facilities. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.dph.illinois.gov\\\/covid19\\\/community-guidance\\\/outdoor-visitation-guidance-long-term-care-facilities#:~:text=Long%2Dterm%20care%20facilities%20(LTCF,size%20of%20the%20outdoor%20space.\\u0022\\u003EVisits in these facilities\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E must be conducted outside and are limited to a safe number of people (based on the size of the outdoor space). New protocols could include:\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:list --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cul\\u003E\\u003Cli\\u003EPeople must be at least six feet away from one another and masked.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\u003Cli\\u003EVisits are scheduled ahead of time to control volume and flow of people.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\u003Cli\\u003EIncarcerated people receiving visitors must be screened before visits, and visitors must have their temperatures taken.\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\u003Cli\\u003ETemporary limits could be imposed on the number of visitors and also on the number of visitors on a visiting list.\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\u003C\\\/ul\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:list --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EDue to variations in implementation capacity, facility conditions, and COVID-19 outbreak statuses at each facility, centralized benchmarks should be published to provide a consistent target for each facility to meet. Families and the legal community can then develop a realistic, nuanced sense of when and how their visitation rights will be restored.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EExample: \\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.cor.pa.gov\\\/Documents\\\/PA-DOC-COVID-Demobilization-Plan.pdf\\u0022\\u003EThe PA Plan for restoring visitation and movement during COVID-19\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EWe recognize officials will need to monitor COVID-19 cases and trends in both prisons and in the communities they are in. We support this. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/okcfox.com\\\/news\\\/local\\\/visitation-suspended-in-oklahoma-prisons-due-to-covid-hotspots\\u0022\\u003EOklahoma had resumed visits (outdoors) but suspended them because of outbreaks\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E.\\u00a0\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:block {\\u0022ref\\u0022:20319} \\\/--\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:heading {\\u0022level\\u0022:3} --\\u003E\\n\\u003Ch3\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EFACILITY-BY-FACILITY REVIEW OF COMMUNICATIONS OPTIONS\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/h3\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003ETo consistently mitigate the impact of varying communications challenges and assets at each facility, \\u003C\\\/strong\\u003Efacilities should be centrally reviewed to assess options for increasing communications (including in-person visits, phone calls, and video visits) to the maximum level while maintaining social distancing. These reviews should include an assessment of phone, video, mail, and in-person visitation assets and challenges.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:list --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cul\\u003E\\u003Cli\\u003EWhile some facilities have problems with the video visitation technology, they may have the ability to re-think scheduling or length of the video calls. Currently, video calls are limited to 15 minutes; these calls should be extended to the full 55 minutes originally allowed.\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\u003Cli\\u003EOpportunities for phone calls and time limits on phone calls should be extended. The access to phones varies tremendously by facility; this again should be a centralized directive.\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\u003C\\\/ul\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:list --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:block {\\u0022ref\\u0022:20319} \\\/--\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:block {\\u0022ref\\u0022:20319} \\\/--\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:heading {\\u0022level\\u0022:3} --\\u003E\\n\\u003Ch3\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EOTHER STATES\\u2019 COVID-19 VISITATION POLICIES\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/h3\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThese states are currently allowing in-person visitation (with specific policies):\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/doc.delaware.gov\\\/views\\\/visit_inmate.blade.shtml\\u0022\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EDelaware\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E: In-person visits must be scheduled one week in advance to allow the DOC to screen all visitors for COVID-19. The DOC shares the identities of all visitors with the Division of Public Health to allow for contact tracing. Only two adults and two children are permitted to attend visits, which last for one hour.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.maine.gov\\\/corrections\\\/home\\\/MSP%20visit%20documentr.pdf\\u0022\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EMaine\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E: Indoor visits are allowed, and appointments must be made two business days prior to the scheduled visit. Residents are allowed one visit per week, and visitors coming together must be from the same household. Only two visitors are permitted inside the facility and they must wear masks during the visit.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/mn.gov\\\/doc\\\/family-visitor\\\/visiting-information\\\/\\u0022\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EMinnesota\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E: In-person visits are suspended if a facility has two or more current positive COVID-19 cases. For facilities with one or fewer cases, visits must be scheduled 24 hours in advance and are limited to one hour. All visitors must wear face masks and comply with a COVID-19 screening and temperature check before entering the facility.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/doc.mo.gov\\\/programs\\\/family-friends\\\/visiting\\u0022\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EMissouri\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E: In-person, no contact visits must be scheduled ahead of time. Visiting rooms can only be at 30% capacity, with two-hour visits, and two visitors\\u003Cem\\u003E \\u003C\\\/em\\u003E(Minors under the age of 18 are not allowed.) per incarcerated person. Each incarcerated person is permitted two visits per month. All visitors must comply with a COVID-19 screening and temperature check before entering the facility. Face masks are required.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/drc.ohio.gov\\\/Portals\\\/0\\\/EcWQv8QXYAAEF0n.jpg\\u0022\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EOhio\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E: Six facilities are holding outdoor visitation. Each resident is permitted two visitors per visit, and children under the age of 12 are not allowed. All staff, residents, and visitors must wear face masks at all times during the visitation process. Visitors must comply with a COVID-19 symptom screening and temperature check before entering the facility. The Ohio Public Health System monitors COVID cases in the counties that have prisons, and if a county is in a level three or four public emergency, officials suspend visiting at the prison.\\u00a0\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:block {\\u0022ref\\u0022:20319} \\\/--\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:heading {\\u0022level\\u0022:3} --\\u003E\\n\\u003Ch3\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EACCESS TO OUTDOOR TIME AND LEGAL MATERIALS\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/h3\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThe IDOC must also articulate a plan for providing adequate access to outdoor time, law libraries, and Personal Property (often where legal materials are kept).\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EIllinois law requires at least five hours of outdoor time each week; this is essential to incarcerated people\\u2019s mental and physical health; and, given what we know now about the virus, we know it is possible to conduct outdoor activities more safely than indoor activities. Groups of people who are already exposed to each other (in showers, bullpens, and the currently restricted yard-times) could have more outdoor time in their groups without incurring additional health risks. The mental health risks of winter inside, on top of 7 months inside, may be greater than the risk of limited outdoor activity in the fall months.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EIn addition, access to legal materials for incarcerated people is critical. Individuals have motions to which they must respond. Currently, some facilities are managing limited movement for showers, yard-time, and other facility-based priorities; law libraries and legal materials in Personal Property should be added to the priority list at every facility where any limited movement is possible. Specifically, the IDOC must articulate a plan for restoring the following items at each facility based on that facility\\u2019s unique challenges and assets.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:block {\\u0022ref\\u0022:20319} \\\/--\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:heading {\\u0022level\\u0022:3} --\\u003E\\n\\u003Ch3\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003EOTHER ISSUES\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/h3\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EIn addition to expanding necessary family connections, access to law materials, and time outdoors, there are other COVID-19 mitigations early in the pandemic that may be rethought as we learn to \\u201cco-exist with COVID-19\\u201d throughout Illinois:\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:list --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cul\\u003E\\u003Cli\\u003ECommissary spending and pick-up opportunities have been dramatically reduced during COVID-19 and could now be safely and gradually expanded. Incarcerated people rely on the commissary for food, hygiene and other items that are necessary to their physical and mental health.\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\u003Cli\\u003EWe continue to hear frequent reports from many facilities that staff are not faithfully following COVID-19 mitigations, such as wearing masks. Accountability for implementing these mitigations must be increased.\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\u003Cli\\u003EWe also continue to hear reports that cleaning is inconsistent from facility to facility. Deep cleaning should be the norm at every facility, with time set aside to have cells and common areas deep cleaned.\\u00a0\\u00a0\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\u003Cli\\u003EMoving people into new cells with new cellmates during the pandemic without a strong rationale should be discouraged. Many facilities have policies that involve recelling. These policies make it more difficult to allow increased movement within groups already sharing space and common areas.\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\u003C\\\/ul\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:list --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:block {\\u0022ref\\u0022:20319} \\\/--\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:block {\\u0022ref\\u0022:20319} \\\/--\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:heading {\\u0022level\\u0022:3} --\\u003E\\n\\u003Ch3\\u003E\\u003Cstrong\\u003ECONCLUSION\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/h3\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:heading --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EWhile we acknowledge the challenges and the lack of certainty generated by COVID-19, we are deeply concerned that our state is behind in adapting to practices that balance one type of safety - safety from COVID-19 - with another type of safety - safety from long-term health and mental health consequences of extended and indefinite isolation.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\",\"excerpt\":\"\",\"auto_excerpt\":\"Most regions in Illinois are in Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan. Bars, restaurants, gyms, and salons are open throughout the state, but thousands of incarcerated people still have...\",\"link\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/phase-4-illinois-prisons\\\/\",\"featured_image\":0,\"featured_image_html\":\"\",\"featured_caption\":\"\",\"date\":\"2020-10-26 16:57:15\",\"display_date\":\"October 26th, 2020\",\"post_type\":\"post\",\"taxonomies\":{\"category\":[{\"ID\":22,\"label\":\"Analysis\",\"slug\":\"analysis\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"},{\"ID\":30,\"label\":\"News\",\"slug\":\"news\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"}]},\"primary_term\":{\"ID\":22,\"label\":\"Analysis\",\"slug\":\"analysis\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"},\"author\":null,\"cta_title\":\"Read Article\",\"colours\":{\"bg\":{\"primary\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"secondary\":\"bg-blue\",\"single\":\"bg-navy\"},\"text\":{\"primary\":\"text-white\"},\"social\":{\"bg\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"text\":\"text-white hover:bg-blue group-hover:bg-blue\"},\"secondary_link\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"underline\":\"text-red\"},\"label_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":{\"box\":\"text-blue\",\"heading\":\"text-red\"},\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum text-white\",\"carousel_button\":\"bg-blue\",\"headings\":{\"large\":\"text-blue\",\"dark\":\"text-blue\",\"small\":\"text-white\"},\"download_card\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"bg\":\"bg-navy\",\"icon\":\"text-red\"},\"card\":{\"link\":\"text-white\",\"text\":\"text-white\",\"heading\":\"text-white\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"stat\":\"text-blue\",\"logo\":\"text-blue\",\"icon\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":\"text-red\"},\"hero\":{\"heading\":\"text-blue\",\"secondary_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum\"},\"tabs\":{\"text\":\"text-black-brand\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"bg\":\"bg-blue\",\"active-text\":\"text-white\"}}}' \/>\n              <\/article>\n                          <article class=\"bg-gray-light vue-card-post\">\n                <card-post :post='{\"ID\":217,\"title\":\"COVID-19 Webinar: Advocating for Your Incarcerated Loved Ones\",\"content\":\"\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThis webinar will help you develop strategies for advocating for your loved ones during this COVID-19 pandemic. Find tips and tools for contacting officials and for demanding better conditions.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:embed {\\u0022url\\u0022:\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/youtu.be\\\/we8HzWa4NXU\\u0022,\\u0022type\\u0022:\\u0022video\\u0022,\\u0022providerNameSlug\\u0022:\\u0022youtube\\u0022,\\u0022responsive\\u0022:true,\\u0022className\\u0022:\\u0022wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\\u0022} --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cfigure class=\\u0022wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\\u0022\\u003E\\u003Cdiv class=\\u0022wp-block-embed__wrapper\\u0022\\u003E\\nhttps:\\\/\\\/youtu.be\\\/we8HzWa4NXU\\n\\u003C\\\/div\\u003E\\u003C\\\/figure\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:embed --\\u003E\",\"excerpt\":\"\",\"auto_excerpt\":\"This webinar will help you develop strategies for advocating for your loved ones during this COVID-19 pandemic. Find tips and tools for contacting officials and for demanding better conditions.\\u0026nbsp; https:\\\/\\\/youtu.be\\\/we8HzWa4NXU\",\"link\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/covid-19-webinar-advocating-for-your-incarcerated-loved-ones\\\/\",\"featured_image\":0,\"featured_image_html\":\"\",\"featured_caption\":\"\",\"date\":\"2020-05-21 18:38:27\",\"display_date\":\"May 21st, 2020\",\"post_type\":\"post\",\"taxonomies\":{\"category\":[{\"ID\":29,\"label\":\"Events\",\"slug\":\"events\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"}]},\"primary_term\":{\"ID\":29,\"label\":\"Events\",\"slug\":\"events\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"},\"author\":null,\"cta_title\":\"Read Article\",\"colours\":{\"bg\":{\"primary\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"secondary\":\"bg-blue\",\"single\":\"bg-navy\"},\"text\":{\"primary\":\"text-white\"},\"social\":{\"bg\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"text\":\"text-white hover:bg-blue group-hover:bg-blue\"},\"secondary_link\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"underline\":\"text-red\"},\"label_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":{\"box\":\"text-blue\",\"heading\":\"text-red\"},\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum text-white\",\"carousel_button\":\"bg-blue\",\"headings\":{\"large\":\"text-blue\",\"dark\":\"text-blue\",\"small\":\"text-white\"},\"download_card\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"bg\":\"bg-navy\",\"icon\":\"text-red\"},\"card\":{\"link\":\"text-white\",\"text\":\"text-white\",\"heading\":\"text-white\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"stat\":\"text-blue\",\"logo\":\"text-blue\",\"icon\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":\"text-red\"},\"hero\":{\"heading\":\"text-blue\",\"secondary_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum\"},\"tabs\":{\"text\":\"text-black-brand\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"bg\":\"bg-blue\",\"active-text\":\"text-white\"}}}' \/>\n              <\/article>\n                          <article class=\"bg-gray-light vue-card-post\">\n                <card-post :post='{\"ID\":195,\"title\":\"How You Can Help People Who Are Incarcerated\",\"content\":\"\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EWe need to treat people who are incarcerated compassionately. Restore Justice continues to push for our \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/urgent-recommendations-covid-19-and-prison-communities\\\/\\u0022\\u003Eoriginal recommendations\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E. But, we also believe we have to advocate for transparency. \\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThe New York Times reported this week that 70 percent of the incarcerated people at one Ohio prison have tested positive for COVID-19. That report follows mass testing inside the prison, something we haven\\u2019t seen evidence of in all but two prisons or jails in Illinois.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EGovernor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Corrections must both ramp up testing and report a robust, accurate picture of the effect the virus is having in our prisons.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EDespite recent early releases, Illinois\\u2019s prisons continue to be over capacity, and social distancing is impossible. In addition, our prison population is old and medically vulnerable. We have nearly 8,000 elderly people in our state\\u2019s custody and many more who are sick and\\\/or disabled. In addition, Illinois\\u2019s prisons have been sued multiple times for providing inadequate healthcare. \\u003Cstrong\\u003EThese factors combine to make those who are incarcerated particularly vulnerable.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EGovernor Pritzker acknowledged these troubling realities in a recent press conference. \\u201cPlease understand that correctional facilities are similar to long-term care facilities. They are congregate settings where large numbers of people eat, play, live in the same space. Being able to maintain distances is challenging. Once it\\u2019s introduced, it\\u2019s easy to spread. A lot of the strategies we employ in longer-term care, we also employ in correctional facilities,\\u201d he said.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003ENow, we need to call on the Governor and county sheriffs to provide those who are incarcerated and all prison and jail staff with \\u003Cstrong\\u003Epersonal protective equipment\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E (in addition to soap and cleaning supplies) and to \\u003Cstrong\\u003Eaccurately and completely report COVID-19 statistics\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E. \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/drc.ohio.gov\\\/Portals\\\/0\\\/DRC%20COVID-19%20Information%2004-12-2020final.pdf\\u0022\\u003EHere\\u2019s everything Ohio\\u2019s Department of Rehabilitation \\u0026amp; Correction is reporting daily\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E. Here\\u0027s \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.cdcr.ca.gov\\\/covid19\\\/population-status-tracking\\\/\\u0022\\u003Ean example from California\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E\\u003Cs\\u003E. \\u003C\\\/s\\u003E\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EIf you want to \\u003Cstrong\\u003ETAKE ACTION\\u003C\\\/strong\\u003E, here\\u2019s what you can do:\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:list {\\u0022ordered\\u0022:true} --\\u003E\\n\\u003Col\\u003E\\u003C!-- wp:list-item --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cli\\u003ESend this email to your friends and family members. Ask them to join us in this fight!\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:list-item --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:list-item --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cli\\u003E\\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/actionnetwork.org\\\/letters\\\/help-protect-those-who-are-incarcerated-during-covid-19\\\/\\u0022\\u003EEmail your state legislators through our action network\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:list-item --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:list-item --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cli\\u003EUse social media to ask Governor Pritzker to treat prisons and jails like long-term care centers. Those who are incarcerated should have personal protective equipment (as should all prison and jail staff). Use the hashtags #Twill and #StopCOVID19inPrisons. Tag the governor, @GovPritzker, on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:list-item --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:list-item --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cli\\u003EAsk the Governor to report the following information every day: The number of people tested at each prison, the number of people at each prison who have tested positive, the number of people from each prison who\\u2019ve been hospitalized, and the number of people from each facility who\\u2019ve died. You can ask via social media and\\\/or \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www2.illinois.gov\\\/sites\\\/gov\\\/contactus\\\/Pages\\\/VoiceAnOpinion.aspx\\u0022\\u003Ehere\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:list-item --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:list-item --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cli\\u003ECall the sheriff in your county and ask them to report: 1) how many incarcerated people and staff members are being tested for COVID-19 each day, 2) how many people are testing positive, 3) how many people have been hospitalized, and 4) how many people have died. (Find sheriff\\\/jail contact information \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/sheriff-contact-info-for-website\\\/\\u0022\\u003Ehere\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E or below. If your county sheriff or jail are active on social media, post and tag them.)\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:list-item --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:list-item --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cli\\u003EAsk Governor Pritzker to report on the state\\u2019s plan to hold county sheriffs accountable for reporting and conditions in county jails\\u003C\\\/li\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:list-item --\\u003E\\u003C\\\/ol\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:list --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:image {\\u0022id\\u0022:19418,\\u0022sizeSlug\\u0022:\\u0022large\\u0022} --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cfigure class=\\u0022wp-block-image size-large\\u0022\\u003E\\u003Cimg src=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/Sheriff-Contact-Info-for-Website-1-1-1024x791.jpg\\u0022 alt=\\u0022\\u0022 class=\\u0022wp-image-19418\\u0022\\\/\\u003E\\u003C\\\/figure\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:image --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:image {\\u0022id\\u0022:19419,\\u0022sizeSlug\\u0022:\\u0022large\\u0022} --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cfigure class=\\u0022wp-block-image size-large\\u0022\\u003E\\u003Cimg src=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/Sheriff-Contact-Info-for-Website-2-1024x791.jpg\\u0022 alt=\\u0022\\u0022 class=\\u0022wp-image-19419\\u0022\\\/\\u003E\\u003C\\\/figure\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:image --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:image {\\u0022id\\u0022:19420,\\u0022sizeSlug\\u0022:\\u0022large\\u0022} --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cfigure class=\\u0022wp-block-image size-large\\u0022\\u003E\\u003Cimg src=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/Sheriff-Contact-Info-for-Website-3-1024x791.jpg\\u0022 alt=\\u0022\\u0022 class=\\u0022wp-image-19420\\u0022\\\/\\u003E\\u003C\\\/figure\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:image --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:image {\\u0022id\\u0022:19421,\\u0022sizeSlug\\u0022:\\u0022large\\u0022} --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cfigure class=\\u0022wp-block-image size-large\\u0022\\u003E\\u003Cimg src=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/Sheriff-Contact-Info-for-Website-4-1024x791.jpg\\u0022 alt=\\u0022\\u0022 class=\\u0022wp-image-19421\\u0022\\\/\\u003E\\u003C\\\/figure\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:image --\\u003E\",\"excerpt\":\"\",\"auto_excerpt\":\"We need to treat people who are incarcerated compassionately. Restore Justice continues to push for our original recommendations. But, we also believe we have to advocate for transparency. The New...\",\"link\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/how-you-can-help-people-who-are-incarcerated\\\/\",\"featured_image\":0,\"featured_image_html\":\"\",\"featured_caption\":\"\",\"date\":\"2020-04-22 19:29:53\",\"display_date\":\"April 22nd, 2020\",\"post_type\":\"post\",\"taxonomies\":{\"category\":[{\"ID\":22,\"label\":\"Analysis\",\"slug\":\"analysis\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"}]},\"primary_term\":{\"ID\":22,\"label\":\"Analysis\",\"slug\":\"analysis\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"},\"author\":null,\"cta_title\":\"Read Article\",\"colours\":{\"bg\":{\"primary\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"secondary\":\"bg-blue\",\"single\":\"bg-navy\"},\"text\":{\"primary\":\"text-white\"},\"social\":{\"bg\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"text\":\"text-white hover:bg-blue group-hover:bg-blue\"},\"secondary_link\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"underline\":\"text-red\"},\"label_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":{\"box\":\"text-blue\",\"heading\":\"text-red\"},\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum text-white\",\"carousel_button\":\"bg-blue\",\"headings\":{\"large\":\"text-blue\",\"dark\":\"text-blue\",\"small\":\"text-white\"},\"download_card\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"bg\":\"bg-navy\",\"icon\":\"text-red\"},\"card\":{\"link\":\"text-white\",\"text\":\"text-white\",\"heading\":\"text-white\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"stat\":\"text-blue\",\"logo\":\"text-blue\",\"icon\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":\"text-red\"},\"hero\":{\"heading\":\"text-blue\",\"secondary_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum\"},\"tabs\":{\"text\":\"text-black-brand\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"bg\":\"bg-blue\",\"active-text\":\"text-white\"}}}' \/>\n              <\/article>\n                          <article class=\"bg-gray-light vue-card-post\">\n                <card-post :post='{\"ID\":225,\"title\":\"Illinois Early Prison Releases Perpetuate Racial Inequity\",\"content\":\"\\u003C!-- wp:html --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cdiv class=\\u0022row\\u0022\\u003E\\n\\u003Ciframe id=\\u0022rate\\u0022 src=\\u0022\\\/\\\/restorejustice.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/rateofreleases.html\\u0022 height=\\u0022560\\u0022 width=\\u0022960\\u0022 frameborder=\\u00220\\u0022 scrolling=\\u0022no\\u0022\\u003E\\u003C\\\/iframe\\u003E\\n\\u003C\\\/div\\u003E\\n\\n\\n\\n\\u003Cdiv class=\\u0022row\\u0022\\u003E\\n\\u003Cdiv class=\\u0022col-sm-6\\u0022\\u003E\\n \\u003Ciframe src=\\u0022\\\/\\\/restorejustice.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/redallreleases.html\\u0022 frameborder=\\u00220\\u0022 height=\\u0022560\\u0022 width=\\u0022500\\u0022 scrolling=\\u0022no\\u0022\\u003E\\u003C\\\/iframe\\u003E\\n \\u003C\\\/div\\u003E\\n\\u003Cdiv class=\\u0022col-sm-6\\u0022\\u003E\\n \\u003Ciframe src=\\u0022\\\/\\\/restorejustice.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/racialdisparities.html\\u0022 frameborder=\\u00220\\u0022 height=\\u0022560\\u0022 width=\\u0022500\\u0022 scrolling=\\u0022no\\u0022\\u003E\\u003C\\\/iframe\\u003E\\n \\u003C\\\/div\\u003E\\n\\u003C\\\/div\\u003E\\n\\n\\n\\n\\u003Cdiv class=\\u0022row\\u0022\\u003E\\n\\u003Ciframe id=\\u0022rate\\u0022 src=\\u0022\\\/\\\/restorejustice.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/releasemechanismbyrace.html\\u0022 height=\\u0022560\\u0022 width=\\u0022960\\u0022 frameborder=\\u00220\\u0022 scrolling=\\u0022no\\u0022\\u003E\\u003C\\\/iframe\\u003E\\n\\u003C\\\/div\\u003E\\n\\n\\n\\n\\u003Cdiv class=\\u0022row\\u0022\\u003E\\n\\u003Ciframe id=\\u0022rate\\u0022 src=\\u0022\\\/\\\/restorejustice.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/daysearlybyholdingclass.html\\u0022 height=\\u0022560\\u0022 width=\\u0022960\\u0022 frameborder=\\u00220\\u0022 scrolling=\\u0022no\\u0022\\u003E\\u003C\\\/iframe\\u003E\\n\\u003C\\\/div\\u003E\\n\\n\\n\\u003Cdiv class=\\u0022row\\u0022\\u003E\\n\\u003Ciframe id=\\u0022rate\\u0022 src=\\u0022\\\/\\\/restorejustice.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/facilitysafety.html\\u0022 height=\\u0022560\\u0022 width=\\u0022960\\u0022 frameborder=\\u00220\\u0022 scrolling=\\u0022no\\u0022\\u003E\\u003C\\\/iframe\\u003E\\n\\u003C\\\/div\\u003E\\n\\n\\n\\u003Cdiv class=\\u0022row\\u0022\\u003E\\n\\u003Ciframe id=\\u0022rate\\u0022 src=\\u0022\\\/\\\/restorejustice.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/olderprisoners.html\\u0022 height=\\u0022560\\u0022 width=\\u0022960\\u0022 frameborder=\\u00220\\u0022 scrolling=\\u0022no\\u0022\\u003E\\u003C\\\/iframe\\u003E\\n\\u003C\\\/div\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:html --\\u003E\",\"excerpt\":\"\",\"auto_excerpt\":\"\",\"link\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/illinois-early-prison-releases-perpetuate-racial-inequity\\\/\",\"featured_image\":0,\"featured_image_html\":\"\",\"featured_caption\":\"\",\"date\":\"2020-06-12 19:55:22\",\"display_date\":\"June 12th, 2020\",\"post_type\":\"post\",\"taxonomies\":{\"category\":[{\"ID\":22,\"label\":\"Analysis\",\"slug\":\"analysis\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"}]},\"primary_term\":{\"ID\":22,\"label\":\"Analysis\",\"slug\":\"analysis\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"},\"author\":null,\"cta_title\":\"Read Article\",\"colours\":{\"bg\":{\"primary\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"secondary\":\"bg-blue\",\"single\":\"bg-navy\"},\"text\":{\"primary\":\"text-white\"},\"social\":{\"bg\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"text\":\"text-white hover:bg-blue group-hover:bg-blue\"},\"secondary_link\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"underline\":\"text-red\"},\"label_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":{\"box\":\"text-blue\",\"heading\":\"text-red\"},\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum text-white\",\"carousel_button\":\"bg-blue\",\"headings\":{\"large\":\"text-blue\",\"dark\":\"text-blue\",\"small\":\"text-white\"},\"download_card\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"bg\":\"bg-navy\",\"icon\":\"text-red\"},\"card\":{\"link\":\"text-white\",\"text\":\"text-white\",\"heading\":\"text-white\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"stat\":\"text-blue\",\"logo\":\"text-blue\",\"icon\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":\"text-red\"},\"hero\":{\"heading\":\"text-blue\",\"secondary_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum\"},\"tabs\":{\"text\":\"text-black-brand\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"bg\":\"bg-blue\",\"active-text\":\"text-white\"}}}' \/>\n              <\/article>\n                          <article class=\"bg-gray-light vue-card-post\">\n                <card-post :post='{\"ID\":226,\"title\":\"John Howard Association Survey Sheds Light on COVID-19 in Illinois Prisons\",\"content\":\"\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EWe must treat people who are incarcerated with compassion, especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic. But, for nearly three months, incarcerated people and their loved ones have reported a lack of soap and cleaning products, and a lack of adequate healthcare. In order to identify and rectify these injustices, the John Howard Association (JHA) conducted its \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.thejha.org\\\/covid19-surveys\\u0022\\u003Efirst ever Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) system-wide survey\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E. JHA independently monitors IDOC facilities.\\u00a0\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u201cIt is critical that we know and understand what IDOC has done and what needs to be done to minimize exposure, reduce contagion, and treat those who have been infected. Without this information it is very difficult to hold IDOC accountable for implementation of policies that affect the lives of people in its custody,\\u201d our advocate partners at JHA explain.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EJHA collected 16,236 surveys from people incarcerated in 32 IDOC facilities. The findings match information \\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/bit.ly\\\/2Wkef7g\\u0022\\u003ERestore Justice has received\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E from people who have incarcerated loved ones.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EThirty-five percent of respondents told JHA they do not have enough soap for regular handwashing. Only about 16% of the incarcerated people who responded say they\\u2019ve received daily cleaning chemicals to keep their sleeping areas sanitary. According to reports Restore Justice has received, some incarcerated individuals are only receiving two sprays of watered down bleach on a cloth as their cleaning supplies.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003EIn addition, 13% of the people who responded to JHA said \\u201cthey had sought healthcare because of COVID-19 in the last week and had not received a response.\\u201d Restore Justice has received more than 50 reports from incarcerated individuals saying they are not receiving their maintenance or mental health medications for ongoing conditions. In addition, Restore Justice\\u2019s reports show that if an individual is not experiencing a life-threatening emergency or COVID-19 related symptoms, medical professionals are not examining them at this time.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.thejha.org\\\/covid19-surveys\\u0022\\u003ERead the full survey results\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E.\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\n\\u003C!-- wp:paragraph --\\u003E\\n\\u003Cp\\u003E\\u003Ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/bit.ly\\\/2Wkef7g\\u0022\\u003EIf you talk with an incarcerated loved one, fill out Restore Justice\\u2019s tracker\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003C\\\/p\\u003E\\n\\u003C!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --\\u003E\",\"excerpt\":\"\",\"auto_excerpt\":\"We must treat people who are incarcerated with compassion, especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic. But, for nearly three months, incarcerated people and their loved ones have reported a lack...\",\"link\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/john-howard-association-survey-sheds-light-on-covid-19-in-illinois-prisons\\\/\",\"featured_image\":0,\"featured_image_html\":\"\",\"featured_caption\":\"\",\"date\":\"2020-06-12 21:03:12\",\"display_date\":\"June 12th, 2020\",\"post_type\":\"post\",\"taxonomies\":{\"category\":[{\"ID\":28,\"label\":\"Press Release\",\"slug\":\"press-release\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"}]},\"primary_term\":{\"ID\":28,\"label\":\"Press Release\",\"slug\":\"press-release\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\"},\"author\":null,\"cta_title\":\"Read Article\",\"colours\":{\"bg\":{\"primary\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"secondary\":\"bg-blue\",\"single\":\"bg-navy\"},\"text\":{\"primary\":\"text-white\"},\"social\":{\"bg\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"text\":\"text-white hover:bg-blue group-hover:bg-blue\"},\"secondary_link\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"underline\":\"text-red\"},\"label_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":{\"box\":\"text-blue\",\"heading\":\"text-red\"},\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum text-white\",\"carousel_button\":\"bg-blue\",\"headings\":{\"large\":\"text-blue\",\"dark\":\"text-blue\",\"small\":\"text-white\"},\"download_card\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"bg\":\"bg-navy\",\"icon\":\"text-red\"},\"card\":{\"link\":\"text-white\",\"text\":\"text-white\",\"heading\":\"text-white\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"stat\":\"text-blue\",\"logo\":\"text-blue\",\"icon\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":\"text-red\"},\"hero\":{\"heading\":\"text-blue\",\"secondary_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum\"},\"tabs\":{\"text\":\"text-black-brand\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"bg\":\"bg-blue\",\"active-text\":\"text-white\"}}}' \/>\n              <\/article>\n                          <article class=\"bg-gray-light vue-card-post\">\n                <card-post :post='{\"ID\":1470,\"title\":\"General Assembly Unanimously Passes Bill To Support Families\",\"content\":\"\\u003C!-- wp:acf\\\/text-banner {\\u0022name\\u0022:\\u0022acf\\\/text-banner\\u0022,\\u0022data\\u0022:{\\u0022colour_variation\\u0022:\\u0022red\\u0022,\\u0022_colour_variation\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_colour_variation\\u0022,\\u0022heading\\u0022:\\u0022\\\\u003cb\\\\u003e2021 IMPACT\\\\u003c\\\/b\\\\u003e\\u0022,\\u0022_heading\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_heading\\u0022,\\u0022description\\u0022:\\u0022\\\\u003ca href=\\\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.ilga.gov\\\/legislation\\\/billstatus.asp?DocNum=1976\\\\u0026amp;GAID=16\\\\u0026amp;GA=102\\\\u0026amp;DocTypeID=SB\\\\u0026amp;LegID=134632\\\\u0026amp;SessionID=110\\\\u0022\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003ePublic Act 102-0535\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\u003c\\\/a\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003e created a statewide point of contact for families visiting incarcerated loved ones. This point of contact is tasked with receiving complaints, suggestions, and requests from visitors. Before this bill, family members visiting incarcerated loved ones had little to no redress when denied access or treated unfairly. People in visiting rooms had to rely on staff at a particular facility to address conflicts or concerns. These same staff members may have been directly involved in the issue. \\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\u003ca href=\\\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.ilga.gov\\\/legislation\\\/billstatus.asp?DocNum=1976\\\\u0026amp;GAID=16\\\\u0026amp;GA=102\\\\u0026amp;DocTypeID=SB\\\\u0026amp;LegID=134632\\\\u0026amp;SessionID=110\\\\u0022\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003ePublic Act 102-0535\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\u003c\\\/a\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003e gives families someone to call who can investigate complaints and attempt to resolve issues. Families often drive hundreds of miles and spend hundreds of dollars to visit loved ones; this is a huge win to ensure visits are successful.\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\u0022,\\u0022_description\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_description\\u0022,\\u0022button\\u0022:{\\u0022title\\u0022:\\u0022Our 2022 Family Bill\\u0022,\\u0022url\\u0022:\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/legislative-impact\\\/support-families-bring-issues-to-light-for-future-policymaking\\\/\\u0022,\\u0022target\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022},\\u0022_button\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_button\\u0022,\\u0022link\\u0022:{\\u0022title\\u0022:\\u0022CRIIC, Our Family Support Group\\u0022,\\u0022url\\u0022:\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/our-work\\\/communities-relatives-of-illinois-incarcerated-children\\\/\\u0022,\\u0022target\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022},\\u0022_link\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_link\\u0022},\\u0022align\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022,\\u0022mode\\u0022:\\u0022edit\\u0022} \\\/--\\u003E\",\"excerpt\":\"\",\"auto_excerpt\":\"\",\"link\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/legislative-impact\\\/general-assembly-unanimously-passes-bill-to-support-families\\\/\",\"featured_image\":0,\"featured_image_html\":\"\",\"featured_caption\":\"\",\"date\":\"2023-06-13 16:55:26\",\"display_date\":\"June 13th, 2023\",\"post_type\":\"legislative-impact\",\"taxonomies\":[],\"primary_term\":null,\"author\":null,\"cta_title\":\"Read Article\",\"colours\":{\"bg\":{\"primary\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"secondary\":\"bg-blue\",\"single\":\"bg-navy\"},\"text\":{\"primary\":\"text-white\"},\"social\":{\"bg\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"text\":\"text-white hover:bg-blue group-hover:bg-blue\"},\"secondary_link\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"underline\":\"text-red\"},\"label_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":{\"box\":\"text-blue\",\"heading\":\"text-red\"},\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum text-white\",\"carousel_button\":\"bg-blue\",\"headings\":{\"large\":\"text-blue\",\"dark\":\"text-blue\",\"small\":\"text-white\"},\"download_card\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"bg\":\"bg-navy\",\"icon\":\"text-red\"},\"card\":{\"link\":\"text-white\",\"text\":\"text-white\",\"heading\":\"text-white\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"stat\":\"text-blue\",\"logo\":\"text-blue\",\"icon\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":\"text-red\"},\"hero\":{\"heading\":\"text-blue\",\"secondary_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum\"},\"tabs\":{\"text\":\"text-black-brand\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"bg\":\"bg-blue\",\"active-text\":\"text-white\"}}}' \/>\n              <\/article>\n                          <article class=\"bg-gray-light vue-card-post\">\n                <card-post :post='{\"ID\":1501,\"title\":\"Helped Cap Cost of Prison Phone Calls\",\"content\":\"\\u003C!-- wp:acf\\\/text-banner {\\u0022name\\u0022:\\u0022acf\\\/text-banner\\u0022,\\u0022data\\u0022:{\\u0022colour_variation\\u0022:\\u0022red\\u0022,\\u0022_colour_variation\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_colour_variation\\u0022,\\u0022heading\\u0022:\\u0022\\\\u003cb\\\\u003e2016 IMPACT\\\\u003c\\\/b\\\\u003e\\u0022,\\u0022_heading\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_heading\\u0022,\\u0022description\\u0022:\\u0022\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003eRestore Justice educated policy-makers on high phone rates in Illinois prisons, assisting the efforts of Representative Carol Ammons (D \\u2013 Champaign). Now \\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\u003ca href=\\\\u0022http:\\\/\\\/www.ilga.gov\\\/legislation\\\/publicacts\\\/99\\\/099-0878.htm\\\\u0022\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003ePublic Act \\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\u003c\\\/a\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003e99-0878\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\u003cb\\\\u003e, \\\\u003c\\\/b\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003ethe law caps phone charges at 7 cents per minute, a reduction of almost 50 percent, effective on January 1, 2018. Restore Justice participated in this effort to ease the financial burden of communications among families with loved ones in prison.\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\u0022,\\u0022_description\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_description\\u0022,\\u0022button\\u0022:{\\u0022title\\u0022:\\u0022Our Work To Protect In-Person Visits\\u0022,\\u0022url\\u0022:\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/legislative-impact\\\/visiting-rights-expanded-for-people-who-are-incarcerated\\\/\\u0022,\\u0022target\\u0022:\\u0022_blank\\u0022},\\u0022_button\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_button\\u0022,\\u0022link\\u0022:{\\u0022title\\u0022:\\u0022Our Family Support Group\\u0022,\\u0022url\\u0022:\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/our-work\\\/communities-relatives-of-illinois-incarcerated-children\\\/\\u0022,\\u0022target\\u0022:\\u0022_blank\\u0022},\\u0022_link\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_link\\u0022},\\u0022align\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022,\\u0022mode\\u0022:\\u0022edit\\u0022} \\\/--\\u003E\",\"excerpt\":\"\",\"auto_excerpt\":\"\",\"link\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/legislative-impact\\\/helped-cap-cost-of-prison-phone-calls\\\/\",\"featured_image\":0,\"featured_image_html\":\"\",\"featured_caption\":\"\",\"date\":\"2023-06-13 17:23:18\",\"display_date\":\"June 13th, 2023\",\"post_type\":\"legislative-impact\",\"taxonomies\":[],\"primary_term\":null,\"author\":null,\"cta_title\":\"Read Article\",\"colours\":{\"bg\":{\"primary\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"secondary\":\"bg-blue\",\"single\":\"bg-navy\"},\"text\":{\"primary\":\"text-white\"},\"social\":{\"bg\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"text\":\"text-white hover:bg-blue group-hover:bg-blue\"},\"secondary_link\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"underline\":\"text-red\"},\"label_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":{\"box\":\"text-blue\",\"heading\":\"text-red\"},\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum text-white\",\"carousel_button\":\"bg-blue\",\"headings\":{\"large\":\"text-blue\",\"dark\":\"text-blue\",\"small\":\"text-white\"},\"download_card\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"bg\":\"bg-navy\",\"icon\":\"text-red\"},\"card\":{\"link\":\"text-white\",\"text\":\"text-white\",\"heading\":\"text-white\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"stat\":\"text-blue\",\"logo\":\"text-blue\",\"icon\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":\"text-red\"},\"hero\":{\"heading\":\"text-blue\",\"secondary_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum\"},\"tabs\":{\"text\":\"text-black-brand\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"bg\":\"bg-blue\",\"active-text\":\"text-white\"}}}' \/>\n              <\/article>\n                          <article class=\"bg-gray-light vue-card-post\">\n                <card-post :post='{\"ID\":1499,\"title\":\"Protected In-Person Visits\",\"content\":\"\\u003C!-- wp:acf\\\/text-banner {\\u0022name\\u0022:\\u0022acf\\\/text-banner\\u0022,\\u0022data\\u0022:{\\u0022colour_variation\\u0022:\\u0022red\\u0022,\\u0022_colour_variation\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_colour_variation\\u0022,\\u0022heading\\u0022:\\u0022\\\\u003cb\\\\u003e2017 IMPACT\\\\u003c\\\/b\\\\u003e\\u0022,\\u0022_heading\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_heading\\u0022,\\u0022description\\u0022:\\u0022\\\\u003ca href=\\\\u0022http:\\\/\\\/bit.ly\\\/PA100-0142\\\\u0022\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003ePublic Act 100-0142\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\u003c\\\/a\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003e ensures that individuals incarcerated in Illinois are not deprived of in-person visits due to the availability of video visits. The law also mandates that the Illinois Department of Corrections publishes the number of in-person visits each incarcerated person is entitled to per week and month, better explain visitor identification requirements, and post daily any restrictions or denials of visitation for that day and the succeeding five calendar days. This bill unanimously passed the Illinois House and Senate.\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\u0022,\\u0022_description\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_description\\u0022,\\u0022button\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022,\\u0022_button\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_button\\u0022,\\u0022link\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022,\\u0022_link\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_link\\u0022},\\u0022align\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022,\\u0022mode\\u0022:\\u0022edit\\u0022} \\\/--\\u003E\",\"excerpt\":\"\",\"auto_excerpt\":\"\",\"link\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/legislative-impact\\\/protected-in-person-visits\\\/\",\"featured_image\":0,\"featured_image_html\":\"\",\"featured_caption\":\"\",\"date\":\"2023-06-13 17:20:53\",\"display_date\":\"June 13th, 2023\",\"post_type\":\"legislative-impact\",\"taxonomies\":[],\"primary_term\":null,\"author\":null,\"cta_title\":\"Read Article\",\"colours\":{\"bg\":{\"primary\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"secondary\":\"bg-blue\",\"single\":\"bg-navy\"},\"text\":{\"primary\":\"text-white\"},\"social\":{\"bg\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"text\":\"text-white hover:bg-blue group-hover:bg-blue\"},\"secondary_link\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"underline\":\"text-red\"},\"label_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":{\"box\":\"text-blue\",\"heading\":\"text-red\"},\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum text-white\",\"carousel_button\":\"bg-blue\",\"headings\":{\"large\":\"text-blue\",\"dark\":\"text-blue\",\"small\":\"text-white\"},\"download_card\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"bg\":\"bg-navy\",\"icon\":\"text-red\"},\"card\":{\"link\":\"text-white\",\"text\":\"text-white\",\"heading\":\"text-white\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"stat\":\"text-blue\",\"logo\":\"text-blue\",\"icon\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":\"text-red\"},\"hero\":{\"heading\":\"text-blue\",\"secondary_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum\"},\"tabs\":{\"text\":\"text-black-brand\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"bg\":\"bg-blue\",\"active-text\":\"text-white\"}}}' \/>\n              <\/article>\n                          <article class=\"bg-gray-light vue-card-post\">\n                <card-post :post='{\"ID\":1464,\"title\":\"Support Families \\u0026amp; Bring Issues to Light For Future Policymaking\",\"content\":\"\\u003C!-- wp:acf\\\/text-banner {\\u0022name\\u0022:\\u0022acf\\\/text-banner\\u0022,\\u0022data\\u0022:{\\u0022colour_variation\\u0022:\\u0022red\\u0022,\\u0022_colour_variation\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_colour_variation\\u0022,\\u0022heading\\u0022:\\u0022\\\\u003cb\\\\u003e2022 IMPACT\\\\u003c\\\/b\\\\u003e\\u0022,\\u0022_heading\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_heading\\u0022,\\u0022description\\u0022:\\u0022\\\\u003ca href=\\\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/media-advisory-restore-justice-applauds-governor-pritzker-senator-fine-representative-gabel-and-idoc-for-supporting-families\\\/\\\\u0022\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003ePublic Act 102-1082\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\u003c\\\/a\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003e requires the Illinois Department of Corrections to publish an annual report on issues being raised by family members. With the annual report, legislators can identify opportunities to address significant concerns in future policymaking. The Illinois General Assembly established the Family Liaison (also called the Point of Contact) in 2021 by unanimously passing \\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\u003ca href=\\\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/restorejusticeillinois.org\\\/restore-justice-applauds-governor-pritzker-senator-fine-representative-gabel-and-the-illinois-department-of-corrections-for-supporting-families-with-incarcerated-loved-ones\\\/\\\\u0022\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003ePublic Act 102-535\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\u003c\\\/a\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003e. This position gives family members someone to call if they are turned away from or mistreated in visiting rooms; people with incarcerated loved ones can share complaints, suggestions, and requests with the Point of Contact to help ensure they are able to communicate with their family members. Now, Public Act 102-1082, will ensure families have additional transparency and accountability by identifying significant areas for improvement. \\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\u0022,\\u0022_description\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_description\\u0022,\\u0022button\\u0022:{\\u0022title\\u0022:\\u0022Our Family Support Group\\u0022,\\u0022url\\u0022:\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/our-work\\\/communities-relatives-of-illinois-incarcerated-children\\\/\\u0022,\\u0022target\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022},\\u0022_button\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_button\\u0022,\\u0022link\\u0022:{\\u0022title\\u0022:\\u0022Press Release About Bill\\u0027s Passage\\u0022,\\u0022url\\u0022:\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/media-advisory-restore-justice-applauds-governor-pritzker-senator-fine-representative-gabel-and-idoc-for-supporting-families\\\/\\u0022,\\u0022target\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022},\\u0022_link\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_link\\u0022},\\u0022align\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022,\\u0022mode\\u0022:\\u0022edit\\u0022} \\\/--\\u003E\",\"excerpt\":\"\",\"auto_excerpt\":\"\",\"link\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/legislative-impact\\\/support-families-bring-issues-to-light-for-future-policymaking\\\/\",\"featured_image\":0,\"featured_image_html\":\"\",\"featured_caption\":\"\",\"date\":\"2023-06-13 16:50:11\",\"display_date\":\"June 13th, 2023\",\"post_type\":\"legislative-impact\",\"taxonomies\":[],\"primary_term\":null,\"author\":null,\"cta_title\":\"Read Article\",\"colours\":{\"bg\":{\"primary\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"secondary\":\"bg-blue\",\"single\":\"bg-navy\"},\"text\":{\"primary\":\"text-white\"},\"social\":{\"bg\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"text\":\"text-white hover:bg-blue group-hover:bg-blue\"},\"secondary_link\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"underline\":\"text-red\"},\"label_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":{\"box\":\"text-blue\",\"heading\":\"text-red\"},\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum text-white\",\"carousel_button\":\"bg-blue\",\"headings\":{\"large\":\"text-blue\",\"dark\":\"text-blue\",\"small\":\"text-white\"},\"download_card\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"bg\":\"bg-navy\",\"icon\":\"text-red\"},\"card\":{\"link\":\"text-white\",\"text\":\"text-white\",\"heading\":\"text-white\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"stat\":\"text-blue\",\"logo\":\"text-blue\",\"icon\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":\"text-red\"},\"hero\":{\"heading\":\"text-blue\",\"secondary_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum\"},\"tabs\":{\"text\":\"text-black-brand\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"bg\":\"bg-blue\",\"active-text\":\"text-white\"}}}' \/>\n              <\/article>\n                          <article class=\"bg-gray-light vue-card-post\">\n                <card-post :post='{\"ID\":1484,\"title\":\"Visiting Rights Expanded For People Who Are Incarcerated\",\"content\":\"\\u003C!-- wp:acf\\\/text-banner {\\u0022name\\u0022:\\u0022acf\\\/text-banner\\u0022,\\u0022data\\u0022:{\\u0022colour_variation\\u0022:\\u0022red\\u0022,\\u0022_colour_variation\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_colour_variation\\u0022,\\u0022heading\\u0022:\\u0022\\\\u003cb\\\\u003e2018 IMPACT\\\\u003c\\\/b\\\\u003e\\u0022,\\u0022_heading\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_heading\\u0022,\\u0022description\\u0022:\\u0022\\\\u003ca href=\\\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.ilga.gov\\\/legislation\\\/publicacts\\\/fulltext.asp?Name=100-0677\\\\u0022\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003ePublic Act 100-0677\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\\\u003c\\\/a\\\\u003e\\\\u003cspan style=\\\\u0022font-weight: 400;\\\\u0022\\\\u003e increases the minimum number of visits each person who is incarcerated in Illinois is allowed, ensuring up to seven visits per month. It also requires that the Illinois Department of Corrections expand the number of unique contacts each person who is incarcerated is allowed to have on their visiting list to 30 (up from 20) and requires that visitation lists be kept electronically. This bill unanimously passed the House and Senate.\\\\u003c\\\/span\\\\u003e\\u0022,\\u0022_description\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_description\\u0022,\\u0022button\\u0022:{\\u0022title\\u0022:\\u0022Our Support Group For Families\\u0022,\\u0022url\\u0022:\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/our-work\\\/communities-relatives-of-illinois-incarcerated-children\\\/\\u0022,\\u0022target\\u0022:\\u0022_blank\\u0022},\\u0022_button\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_button\\u0022,\\u0022link\\u0022:{\\u0022title\\u0022:\\u0022Jeanne Bishop: My Visit to Kewanee\\u0022,\\u0022url\\u0022:\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/jeanne-bishop-my-visit-to-kewanee\\\/\\u0022,\\u0022target\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022},\\u0022_link\\u0022:\\u0022field_text_banner_link\\u0022},\\u0022align\\u0022:\\u0022\\u0022,\\u0022mode\\u0022:\\u0022edit\\u0022} \\\/--\\u003E\",\"excerpt\":\"\",\"auto_excerpt\":\"\",\"link\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.restorejustice.org\\\/legislative-impact\\\/visiting-rights-expanded-for-people-who-are-incarcerated\\\/\",\"featured_image\":0,\"featured_image_html\":\"\",\"featured_caption\":\"\",\"date\":\"2023-06-13 17:19:48\",\"display_date\":\"June 13th, 2023\",\"post_type\":\"legislative-impact\",\"taxonomies\":[],\"primary_term\":null,\"author\":null,\"cta_title\":\"Read Article\",\"colours\":{\"bg\":{\"primary\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"secondary\":\"bg-blue\",\"single\":\"bg-navy\"},\"text\":{\"primary\":\"text-white\"},\"social\":{\"bg\":\"bg-navy-deep\",\"text\":\"text-white hover:bg-blue group-hover:bg-blue\"},\"secondary_link\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"underline\":\"text-red\"},\"label_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":{\"box\":\"text-blue\",\"heading\":\"text-red\"},\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum text-white\",\"carousel_button\":\"bg-blue\",\"headings\":{\"large\":\"text-blue\",\"dark\":\"text-blue\",\"small\":\"text-white\"},\"download_card\":{\"text\":\"text-white\",\"bg\":\"bg-navy\",\"icon\":\"text-red\"},\"card\":{\"link\":\"text-white\",\"text\":\"text-white\",\"heading\":\"text-white\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"stat\":\"text-blue\",\"logo\":\"text-blue\",\"icon\":\"text-blue\",\"eyebrow\":\"text-red\"},\"hero\":{\"heading\":\"text-blue\",\"secondary_heading\":\"text-blue\",\"button\":\"bg-red hover:bg-plum\"},\"tabs\":{\"text\":\"text-black-brand\",\"border\":\"border-blue\",\"bg\":\"bg-blue\",\"active-text\":\"text-white\"}}}' \/>\n              <\/article>\n                      <\/div>\n              <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/section>\n<section\n      class=\"wp-block-cards bg-white section-margin\">\n      <div class=\"px-mobile xl:px-desktop\">\n        <div class=\"container\">\n                      <div class=\"mb-12\">\n                              <h2 class=\"text-h2 text-black-brand mx-auto text-center\">\n  Our other issues\n<\/h2>\n              \n                          <\/div>\n          \n          <div class=\"flex-cols flex flex-wrap lg:-mx-3 lg:flex-row -my-3\">\n                          <a href=https:\/\/www.restorejustice.org\/issues\/sentencing\/\n                \n                class=\"lg:w-1\/2 w-full p-3\">\n                <div\n                  class=\"border-blue hover:border-red hover:bg-red hover:text-white border-6 lg:px-15 group h-full flex-grow px-8 py-7 transition-all duration-500 lg:py-14\">\n                                    \n                                      <h3\n                      class=\"text-h5 text-navy-deep group-hover:text-white transition-all duration-500 mb-5\">\n                      Sentencing<\/h3>\n                  \n                                      <p\n                      class=\"text-card-body group-hover:text-white transition-all duration-500 text-black-brand\">\n                      In Illinois, a number of sentencing laws converge to create a system that consistently applies extremely long prison terms. While touted as a strategy to make our justice system more fair and effective, research shows that policies like these lead to little to no reduction in crime, while contributing heavily to overcrowded prisons. Restore Justice supports policies that would eliminate or reduce mandatory minimums, roll back firearm enhancements, and otherwise change the laws that rigidly increase sentence lengths or restrict judges from applying appropriate sentences.\n                    <\/p>\n                  \n                                      <span\n  \n  class=\"underline underline-offset-6 text-xl font-normal decoration-2 relative uppercase font-heading tracking-wider group hover:no-underline group-hover:no-underline link-underline hover:bg-link-hover group-hover:bg-link-hover text-red group-hover:text-red  group-hover:!text-white\"\n>\n\n  <span\n    class=\"transition-colors duration-100 text-black-brand group-hover:text-current\">Learn more<\/span>\n  <\/span>\n                                  <\/div>\n                <\/a>\n                          <a href=https:\/\/www.restorejustice.org\/issues\/release\/\n                \n                class=\"lg:w-1\/2 w-full p-3\">\n                <div\n                  class=\"border-blue hover:border-red hover:bg-red hover:text-white border-6 lg:px-15 group h-full flex-grow px-8 py-7 transition-all duration-500 lg:py-14\">\n                                    \n                                      <h3\n                      class=\"text-h5 text-navy-deep group-hover:text-white transition-all duration-500 mb-5\">\n                      Release<\/h3>\n                  \n                                      <p\n                      class=\"text-card-body group-hover:text-white transition-all duration-500 text-black-brand\">\n                      In 1978, Illinois abolished the practice of parole, or early conditional release. Then, in 1998, the state passed so-called \u201ctruth-in-sentencing\u201d laws, which restrict the ability of many people who are incarcerated to earn time off their sentences. This means many people who enter prison in Illinois lack opportunities to work towards their release. Restore Justice supports efforts to give rehabilitated people more meaningful pathways to earn release. Currently, that means restoring Illinois to its pre-1978 parole-for-release system, rolling back \u201ctruth-in-sentencing\u201d laws, and creating opportunities for people serving extreme sentences to have another look at their sentence.\n                    <\/p>\n                  \n                                      <span\n  \n  class=\"underline underline-offset-6 text-xl font-normal decoration-2 relative uppercase font-heading tracking-wider group hover:no-underline group-hover:no-underline link-underline hover:bg-link-hover group-hover:bg-link-hover text-red group-hover:text-red  group-hover:!text-white\"\n>\n\n  <span\n    class=\"transition-colors duration-100 text-black-brand group-hover:text-current\">Learn more<\/span>\n  <\/span>\n                                  <\/div>\n                <\/a>\n                      <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n  ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":35,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-325","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Prison Conditions &amp; 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