NEWSLETTER MARCH 2021
The Pretrial Fairness Act is law in Illinois!
On February 22, 2021 Governor Pritzker signed House Bill 3653, or Police and Criminal Justice Reform Bill, into law making Illinois the first state to end money bond by 2023! More commonly known as the Pretrial Fairness Act, this historic legislation was written by advocates and organizers in the Coalition to End Money Bond and the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice. The bill was championed in Springfield by Senators Elgie Sims and Robert Peters and Representative Justin Slaughter. Thousands of people and more than 100 organizations from all over Illinois came together to push for the passing of this bill. It is a huge step in coming closer to minimizing the criminalization and incarceration of poor people through cash bail. The bill also works to minimize pretrial incarceration through a few different avenues. It limits eligibility for pretrial incarceration, regulates risk assessment tools so they aren’t the only reason for pretrial incarceration, and avoids unnecessary pretrial detention by requiring police to give some people tickets without arrest and authorizing them to release others who have been arrested with court dates in cases where there is no risk to public safety. What feels most important about the passage of this legislation is how it shows us the power of community. The overwhelming support and advocacy from organizations and individuals throughout the state make it clear that when we act together, we have power we could never know alone! We are grateful to be in community with all of you as we look towards the next challenge, like pushing for an amendment to the TIRC (Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission) legislation. (Read on for more about that!)
P.O. BOX 647 EVANSTON, IL 60204 CHICAGOTORTUREJUSTICE.ORG
COMMUNITY
Q&A
What is the status of SB 2082 - IL TIRC legislation? If it gets passed, will the Chicago Torture Justice Center evolve to the Illinois Torture Justice Center? ANSWER: On January 13, the Illinois Senate bill SB2082 and accompanying House bill (HB4283) were updated as Session Sine Die. This means they are effectively dead as that session of Congress has adjourned. They may be reintroduced or proposed as similar bills later on, and we will monitor those developments in the state house. On February 26, State Senator Robert Peters introduced Illinois Senate Bill 2119, which would amend the TIRC Act. It was referred to the Senate Assignments Committee and is listed at 25% progression. Specifically, the bill: Defines torture in compliance with the UN Convention Against Torture (UNCAT), Removes all deadlines for filing claims of police torture (the previous deadline was August 2019), Allows the TIRC to accept claims of torture by police anywhere in the state (not limited to Cook County), and Calls for the TIRC to report on resources needed to hear claims for credibility within 2 years of receiving them. These changes would help TIRC move faster and hear more cases. We haven't discussed changes to CTJC's name. Do you have a question to ask? It can be about anything, not just laws and legislation. Please let us know and we'll do our best to answer in an upcoming newsletter!
Rainbow by Dennis Have you ever seen a rainbow, If you have you already know, for those of you who haven’t, it is my job to tell you so, When you see a rainbow it’s like God Giving you a kiss, And no matter what’s going On letting you know I got this, God doesn’t capture the moment He simply creates the moment, That allows us to love and be loved, It’s hard to show our scars, But past the clouds are Always the stars, so many different shades And colors in a rainbow, All together as one this is how you know, We’re meant to be in a community that Reflects God’s light, No matter how you look, it doesn’t divide But only unites, some say, tell us more we would love to know, and all I can say, Is look for the rainbow! Peace
Artwork by CTJC community member, Vincent (2021). Thank you, Dennis and Vincent, for sharing your beautiful work with us! Do you have a piece of writing or other work of art to share? Send it to our PO Box (see below) or email it to: info@chicagotorturejustice.org.
P.O. BOX 647 EVANSTON, IL 60204 CHICAGOTORTUREJUSTICE.ORG
Wellness on the Inside
In 2019, we created a guide to caring for yourself, titled "Wellness on the Inside." It was designed with our community members who are incarcerated in mind, to offer some practical tools to care for yourself. We'll share some of these practices in our next few newsletters. As always, we hope you will take what is useful and leave the rest.
P.O. BOX 647 EVANSTON, IL 60204 CHICAGOTORTUREJUSTICE.ORG
P.O. BOX 647 EVANSTON, IL 60204 CHICAGOTORTUREJUSTICE.ORG