Mission & Vision

Our Mission: JHA monitors prisons and advances independent oversight of carceral systems to promote humane treatment and increased transparency.

Our Vision: As long as there are prisons, we aspire to have a system that is equitable, reduces harm, and respects people’s humanity.

Defying Injustice. Defending Humanity.

MORE

Illinois has one of the most overcrowded, understaffed and underfunded prison systems in the U.S. We believe that people who are incarcerated should be treated humanely and with dignity and respect.

Recent Publications

Our Latest Reports

• Joliet

• Prison Communications Q2 2026

• Lincoln

• Danville

• Menard

• Big Muddy River & Taylorville

• Logan

• Stateville NRC and Minimum Security Unit

• Prison Communications Q1 2026

Untapped Potential: The Power of Peer Support Programs in Prisons

• Summary

  • Peer Support Programs have the potential to address a multitude of the issues that JHA identifies through our monitoring work. Not only is there an enormous need for care, but also a need for productive programming and the opportunity to learn skills that people can use to improve their daily lives while incarcerated, which will ideally also provide them with employment opportunities upon release.

• ~accord

Donate

Every donation matters. We rely on the generosity of individual, corporate and foundation donors committed to criminal justice system reform. With your support, we will continue to promote prison reform, seeking a fair, effective and humane criminal justice system in Illinois. Thank you!

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