Executive Summary
In March 2024, Governor Pritzker announced a $900 million plan to demolish and rebuild two of the most costly and dilapidated prisons within the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), Stateville and Logan Correctional Centers. The announcement met mixed responses. For advocates tracking the conditions of both facilities, the closures of Logan and the maximum-security campus of Stateville were long overdue.
The detrimental health impacts of living and working in these prison facilities, among others throughout Illinois, required an immediate response. However, the decision to rebuild prisons without a commitment to address outstanding systemic issues has raised serious concerns. Many of the punitive policies that fueled mass incarceration and contributed to an increase in these now unmanageable facilities remain unchanged in Illinois. As a result, average sentence lengths have increased dramatically, while opportunities for people to earn release have dwindled. Despite overwhelming evidence that these policies are costly, harmful, and inefficient methods to ensure lasting public safety, Illinois has failed to embrace evidence-based sentencing reforms.
In this moment, Illinois has a unique opportunity to reevaluate its prison system. Governor Pritzker’s monumental announcement to close two failing sites is a call to rethink our sentencing structure in a way that prioritizes compassion, fairness, individuality, rehabilitation, and safety. This report presents a pathway to that destination. First, we discuss how Illinois came to incarcerate so many people, leading to the mass incarceration we see today. We then examine the impact of the policies that fueled mass incarceration on Illinois and its prison system. Finally, we detail six legislative changes that could begin to address the harms of mass incarceration while prioritizing the health and safety of all Illinoisans. By committing to robust legislative change, Illinois can improve prison conditions while becoming a national leader in implementing data-informed solutions to end mass incarceration and build public safety.
