Commentary: Denying access to parole in Illinois hurts the health of communities in and outside prison
The Illinois House Judiciary Criminal Committee took a critical step toward achieving long overdue state prison reform this month by voting in favor of the Earned Reentry bill. Illinois is one of 16 states to have abolished or severely restricted discretionary parole. Illinois’ lack of parole is not only inhumane, but it also perpetuates existing health inequities in the United States.
Of the 1.4 million people currently held in United States prisons, 1 in
