URGENT CALL TO ACTION: Support the Closure of IYC-Murphysboro

Greetings!

Last week, the Annie E. Casey Foundation issued a new report titled "No Place for Kids: The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration". The report "demonstrates that America's heavy reliance on juvenile incarceration has not paid off, and in fact, is a failed strategy for combating youth crime." 

Here in Illinois, according to an analysis of state records by the Juvenile Justice Initiative, the average daily population for youth prisons in the state was 1,113 in fiscal year 2011, down from 1,603 in fiscal year 2005 and 1,192 in fiscal year 2010. The same analysis estimates operation costs for the facilities as $92,257 per bed for fiscal year 2011.

On September 8th, Governor Pat Quinn announced that he would recommend closing IYC-Murphysboro this fiscal year. This will save the state $3.1 million in just FY12. For specific information about IYC-Murphysboro, click here.

By Richard Ross We support the closure of IYC-Murphysboro and are asking each of you to add your voice to the mix. On October 12th, a  a hearing on the closure of IYC-Murphysboro will be held at 10:30 am. While it is a long way away for many of us to travel to this hearing, it is CRITICAL that we make our voices heard to the Committee organizing the hearing AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. We are asking that the Commission support Governor Quinn's decision to close IYC-Murphysboro.  For information about where to send your e-mails and who to call to support the decision to close IYC-Murphysboro, please click HERE.

Again, please find out who to call and who to send your e-mails to HERE. In addition, please join us on October 29th for a "Teach-In to Close Youth Prisons in Illinois. This is our time to make a tangible difference in the movement to end youth incarceration.

 

Sincerely,

 

Mariame Kaba
Project NIA