Insights & Information

Passage of the federal Fair Sentencing Act in August 2010 reduced the 100-to-1 sentencing disparity for crack cocaine offenses and eliminated the five-year mandatory minimum for simple possession of crack cocaine, reforming a law that caused racial disparity. The reform is part of a larger movement to reconsider long mandatory minimum sentences for low-level drug offenses that pervade sentencing policy in the U.S. A new report by Kara Gotsch, director of advocacy at The Sentencing Project, outlines efforts culminating with the passage of the Fair Sentencing Act and points to the unfinished sentencing reform agenda. The report highlights the importance of the reform internationally, given the U.S. role of prominence in reducing substance abuse. To read the report, click here.

Recently, the Council of State Governments Justice Center reported that the House and Senate conference committee provided $63 million for the Second Chance Act in the “minibus” appropriations report, which includes Fiscal Year 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) spending. This appropriations bill resolves differences between the House, which allotted $70 million, and the Senate, which provided no funding. The conference report consolidates appropriations bill for several agencies, and is expected to go to the full House and Senate for consideration this week. For more info, click here. 

In 2010-11, the John Howard Association (JHA) assessed the state of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) -- reforms achieved, problem areas in need of change, and obstacles to those changes. Since its inception in 2006, DJJ has worked toward becoming a youth-focused, rehabilitative, and treatment-based department in order to create better outcomes for youth. JHA conducted almost 20 facility visits and analyzed data regarding population, discipline, staffing levels, mental health assessments, and more to inform the final report, which found that while DJJ is improving operation and services, areas in need of significant improvement remain. A number of obstacles, including budget constraints and population levels, hinder reform within the department. However, JHA asserts that addressing these obstacles will be crucial to curb spending and form a complete system for youth. To read the final report, click here.

The New York Times reports that the United States Sentencing Commission has released a comprehensive report finding that federal mandatory minimum sentences are often excessively severe, unwarranted, and inconsistently applied, especially for individuals convicted of drug trafficking (over 75 percent) and individuals with prior convictions. Mandatory minimums have nearly tripled the number of federal prisoners in the past 20 years to 208,000 in 2009, and putting federal prisons 37 percent over capacity. The report also highlights racial disparities in sentencing. In some cases, mandatory minimums can be reduced for incarcerated individuals if the crime did not involve violence or a gun, but most African-American individuals could not meet these or other qualifications (only 39 percent qualified for a reduction, compared to 64 percent of whites). The report recommends revisiting policy on mandatory minimum sentences to bolster confidence in the federal criminal justice system. To read a New York Times editorial about this report, click here. To read the full report, click here.

The John Howard Association (JHA) recently released a report on Stateville Northern Reception & Classification Center (NRC), the state's largest intake, classification, and processing unit for male inmates entering state custody. NRC serves as the first point of contact for the majority of male prisoners in the Illinois Department of Corrections (DOC), receiving and classifying approximately 4,000 new inmates (including those scheduled to appear in court and those charged with parole violations) each month. To read more, click here.

Green For All recently released a report, "Green Strategies to Re-Entry," detailing how formerly incarcerated individuals can find employment in the green industry. Twenty eight percent of Americans have a criminal record of some kind, significantly increasing their likelihood of unemployment and reducing their wages by 11 percent. Forty percent of released inmates return to prison within three years, but vocational training during incarceration and post-release significantly reduces these recidivism rates. Additionally, transitional jobs programs can reduce that rate by 40 percent. The report outlines opportunities and potential of jobs in high demand green sectors, best practices of re-entry programs, and public policies that can promote fair opportunities for people with criminal histories in the emerging green economy. To read more, click here.

The Mansfield Institute for Social Justice and Transformation at Roosevelt University presents a series of panel discussions to put a human face on the criminalization of youth of color and foster an understanding of the outcomes and the structural and institutional forces that perpetuate the problem. November 10 will feature accounts from youth of interactions with police, policing strategies in their communities, and how criminalization impacted their lives. December 6 will feature law enforcement and community members discussing policing strategies in different communities. December 13 will focus on legal representation, plea bargaining, and sentencing as it relates to race and class disparity in the criminal justice system. January 13 will focus on the lifelong impact of a criminal record on employment, housing, and other obstacles. Information about policy and current efforts in Illinois to seal and expunge criminal records will be shared, as will ideas for how attendees can assist through peer and youth mentorship in getting criminal records expunged. Events are free and open to the public; RSVPs to Nancy Michaels are required: nmichaels@roosevelt.edu. For more info, click here.
 
November 10, 2011
5:30PM
Roosevelt University
Congress Lounge
430 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL
 
December 6, 2011
5:30PM
Roosevelt University
Congress Lounge
430 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL
 
December 13, 2011
5:30PM
Roosevelt University
Congress Lounge
430 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL
 
February 2, 2012 (NOTE new date & time)
5:00PM
Roosevelt University
Congress Lounge and Spertus Lounges
430 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL
 

In times of austerity, it can be very difficult for elected officials to advance any significant agenda items while also balancing a budget. The Cook County Board of Commissioners president, Toni Preckwinkle, is trying to reduce the number of individuals (currently 100,000 in Cook County annually) in the Cook County jail and the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center. Ms. Preckwinkle cites the high costs of incarceration at $143 per inmate per day at Cook County jail and over $600 per person per day at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center. Ms. Preckwinkle has set specific goals to reduce the prison population, and currently, many other different proposals are being considered as well. To read more of this New York Times article by Adrienne Lu, click here.

On October 27, 2011, The Emergency Services Access Act (SB 1701) passed the Illinois House of Representatives by a 61-53 vote. The bill would provide limited immunity for those who possess small amounts of drugs if they call 911 or seek medical help in an overdose situation, which could potentially save many lives in Illinois. This news comes as other states, such as New York, have recently enacted similar laws. To read more of this Naperville Sun News article, click here.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and experts in the reentry field have advocated for states to evaluate their occupational screening laws to reduce barriers to employment of people with criminal records. NELP, National H.I.R.E. Network, and The Sentencing Project will co-host a webinar to help individuals across the country learn about the latest developments in state legislation relating to criminal records and employment. In addition to a number of policy reforms, the webinar will focus on problematic state legislation that will likely reemerge in the 2012 state legislative session.
 
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
1:00PM – 2:00PM
To register, click here.