SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois houses an estimated 49,000 people in its prison system, and a recent report finds it's one of the most overcrowded systems in the nation. In fact, only Alabama’s prisons are more crowded. The Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics' most recent census of prisoners, found Illinois is operating at more than 170 percent of design capacity.

Alan Mills, attorney and executive director of the Uptown People's Law Center, pointed out that the Department of Corrections budget has decreased by more than 10 percent in the past few years. And he said the human impact is devastating, especially at maximum-security facilities.

"There is not enough capacity to provide programming for these folks," he said. "There are no more education programs; there aren't even any jobs for them to do. They simply sit there and stare at the walls, or a TV set if they are "lucky" - and I put that in big quotes - enough to have one. And these are not necessarily all people in segregation."

In response, spokesman for the Illinois Department of Corrections Tom Shaer countered that the Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics' calculations do not include additional housing constructed since some of the prisons were originally built, or the practice of "double-celling." He characterized the prisons as "crowded but not overcrowded." While acknowledging that 16 women are housed in a gym, Shaer said,"There is little to no spare room, but we are able to house all our inmates safely and securely."

Shaer admitted there have been reductions in everything, education included, but it's not fair to say there are no education programs. "We have Adult Basic Education programs and G-E-D programs are offered," he said. "Some can earn an associate’s degree when community colleges come into the prison."

Regarding jobs, Shaer contended there are jobs available and performed by inmates at all facilities, including maximum-security prisons, but admitted "they haven’t kept pace with the increase in inmates who want the jobs."

Mills said the lack of resources to provide meaningful programs makes it more likely that people will commit new crimes when they are released. The attorney also charges that prison overcrowding results in people being kept in "segregation" longer than required. Single-cell "segregation" means prisoners are confined alone to their cell 22 hours a day, although the Department of Corrections said Illinois no longer practices the use of "solitary confinement."

Shaer didn't deny that lack of resources makes recidivism more likely. However, he rebutted the charge that segregation is prolonged because of housing shortages. "Anybody who earns their way out of segregation through good behavior is never denied for space reasons," he said.

The main cause of overcrowding, according to Mills, is the number of nonviolent prisoners, people with mental illness or substance-abuse disorders who he says would benefit more from treatment than from being locked in a cell.

"We're asking the people who work at the Department of Corrections to do an impossible job, which is to care for a huge number of both physically and mentally ill people with no money," he said. "And they don't do a very good job at it - but not because they're terrible doctors, but because they're asked to do the impossible."

A Pew Research Study found Illinois is 50th among states in the amount of money it spends delivering medical services in prisons.

Shaer contended that ranking is also not deserved, and that the Illinois Department of Corrections' amount is considerably greater than the report showed because it didn't include H-I-V medications, dialysis, outpatient visits to hospitals, and most state-employed medical personnel.

Mills recently testified about the effects of prison overcrowding before the Illinois Legislature's special Joint Committee on Criminal Justice Reform.

"Prison may have a role to play in society, in terms of protecting us from violent people who might otherwise harm others," he said. "But frankly, our prison system is full of thousands of people who don't meet that criteria. So, we've caused this problem by sending far too many people to prison."

The census is online at bjs.gov.



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The U.S. Justice Department is launching an investigation into reports of physical and sexual abuse at Kentucky's eight youth detention centers - along with inappropriate use of isolation, and lack of access to adequate mental health care, and services for children with disabilities.

U.S. Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke said the investigation will be independent and thorough.

"We're committed," said Clarke, "to ensuring that children in juvenile detention facilities are not subjected to abuse, or mistreatment, or deprived of their constitutional rights."

A federal lawsuit filed earlier this year alleged two teenage girls were kept isolated without access to a toilet, in unsanitary conditions.

Terry Brooks, Ph.D., executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, said a decade ago, the General Assembly passed sweeping juvenile justice reforms. But since then, the situation in detention centers has steadily worsened into a full-blown crisis that state leaders have largely ignored.

"If the Beshear administration and if the General Assembly and stepped up on this issue," said Brooks, "we would not have Washington D.C. coming into the Commonwealth to fix this."

Brooks added he is hopeful the DOJ investigation will lead to safe, positive, accountable rehabilitation for Kentucky kids that help them get back on the right track in life.

"They have obviously done deep dives and inquiries into the state of detention centers in Kentucky," said Brooks. "And my optimistic view of this is they are going to give Kentucky a roadmap to move ahead."

Nationally, according to the Justice Department, detention centers admit nearly 200,000 children every year - holding around 16,000 youth on any given night.



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Mother's Day has a special place in the heart of a Michigan woman whose mother's incarceration kept them separated for decades.

Jen Szénay of Michigan said in 1990, her mother was sentenced to life in prison for the death of her husband, in a murder-for-hire case.

Szénay explained that her mom is a domestic-abuse survivor who didn't feel protected by the law.

She said two men carried out the murder of her father - and her mom, who maintains her innocence, was accused of conspiring with them.

Szénay's mother was given a commutation from the governor and released from prison last March. Szénay shared what that first Mother's Day with her mom was like after three decades apart.

"Overjoyed to be together, but it was just like so much shock still surrounding it," said Szénay. "I mean, we had been apart since May 24, 1990. So just to be able to, like, sit with her, hold her hand. It's weird to talk about because there's so many little things that you don't realize that you miss in a person until you don't have it."

Szénay is the communications coordinator for the Michigan Collaborative to End Mass Incarceration, an organization advocating for second-chance legislation.

It would pave the way for those serving a long prison sentence to re-enter society if they're deemed to no longer pose a risk to the community.

Incarcerated individuals would need to petition their sentencing judge for a reduction of their sentence.

With statistics showing average annual prison costs of between $34,000 and $48,000 per person - not including health care - policy researchers estimate savings of approximately $200 million a year through second-chance legislation.

"A lot of these women are victims themselves of domestic violence, of sex trafficking," said Szénay. "To have the ability to go back and say, 'Look, this happened when I was 18, 19, 25, you know, any age, 30, whatever. This is who I am today.'"

Szénay said that money saved by reducing excessive prison sentences could be reinvested in violence prevention, victim services and mental health.

"Why these cases are so deserving of a second look," said Szénay, "is because when you hear the stories, you're like, how did this person get so much time for this situation?"

Michigan has roughly 44,000 people confined or detained, and the state spends nearly 20% of its General Fund on prisons - adding up to more than $2 billion per year.

A North Carolina group hopes to help people stay out of prison by connecting them to critical resources.

Recidivism Reduction Educational Programs Services is launching a new hotline to help formerly incarcerated people with re-entry services.

Kerwin Pittman, the organization's founder, said he found it tough getting connected to the right people as a returning citizen nearly seven years ago and in 2024, he said the issue still exists.

"What we realized that across North Carolina, the connectivity wasn't happening at all," Pittman pointed out. "You would have people returning, citizens, family members, those who wanted to get help for these individuals trying to reach out for services and needed services but just couldn't find them."

The hotline connects callers to real people who essentially create a bridge directly to services in the community. Pittman noted since its launch last Monday, more than 100 people have used the call center to get connected to housing and jobs. To contact the center, call 1-888-852-0004.

In North Carolina, 44% of people are re-arrested within two years of being released from state prisons. Pittman acknowledged it can be challenging to have a successful transition when you don't know where to start and emphasized one small resource can be the key to getting on track.

"You'd be surprised how many individuals come home and don't just have simple identification," Pittman emphasized. "And we know without identification, you can't receive benefits that you may be eligible for, you can't receive a job, you can't receive housing. And so everything kind of plays into each other."

In addition to closing gaps and getting people to services, Pittman said he hopes it inspires others to find innovative ways to make connection easier for people affected by the justice system. Earlier this year at the state level, Gov. Roy Cooper signed Executive Order 303 to improve re-entry.