November 6, 2020 Criminal Justice Information Update

November 6, 2020 Criminal Justice Information Update

Introduction to CJ Update for 11/6/20 email to League members 

Dear League Member, 

Be a part of League history! 

Join us in January at virtual consensus meetings to update the 25-year-old League of Women Voters of Illinois’ Criminal Justice position! 

The state League’s Criminal Justice Update Committee wrote this introduction to the consensus: 

The events of early summer 2020 illustrate why LWVIL must update its Criminal Justice Position. A glaring omission in our position is any reference to policing. But in addition, in the years since the position was last updated, criminal justice reform efforts have revealed that our justice system is not only ineffective but unjust in many ways. 

And so we have endeavored to propose consensus questions that address the totality of the system through 14 sections: 

  • Impoverished communities 
  • Bias
  • Gender issues 
  • The need for data collection and transparency 
  • Criminal justice coordinating councils 
  • Policing
  • Pretrial procedures 
  • Restorative justice 
  • Emerging adults 
  • Courtroom procedures and access 
  • Sentencing laws and procedures 
  • Incarceration and Mandatory Supervised Release 
  • Post-incarceration and successful reentry 
  • Funding

At the various consensus meetings in January, members of the local Leagues discuss the pros, the cons, and the merits of each of the questions. Questions that receive positive support at the meetings will be converted to statements in the updated LWVIL Criminal Justice position. The updated position will be used by League in our advocacy efforts for many years to come, to work towards a criminal justice system that is both effective and just. 

To help educate our members on the consensus questions, we will be sending you, between now and the end of 2020, twice weekly emails, each one highlighting a consensus question. 

All update materials can be found here https://www.lwvil.org/criminal-justice-position-update-study
We hope that you will join us in reaching a consensus on these questions. 

LWV of Wheaton LWV of Downers Grove-Woodridge Lisle LWV of Naperville Di Niesman