Illinois Prison Project Direct representation to people in the Illinois Department of Corrections by filing clemency petitions on their behalf. They also offer bi-monthly drop-in legal clinics on Zoom every first Tuesday of the month from 4 PM-6 PM Central Time and every third Saturday of the month from 9 AM-11 AM CST. Fill out this ​Google Application Form (English & Spanish) to request support. Uptown People's Law Center Actively represents people in prison in both class action matters as well as individual cases. ​​ ​UPLC does not represent people in criminal, post-conviction, or clemency cases. UPLC's work relates solely to how people are treated in prison. For additional information about their services go to their website or call 773-769-1411. Illinois Innocence Project ​Evaluates cases for credible claims of an Illinois incarcerated person's innocence, and, when appropriate, provides legal representation and/or other assistance toward proving innocence. Learn more on their website​ University of Illinois Chicago Legal Clinics ​The Pro Bono Litigation Clinic provides pro bono legal representation to qualified individuals. To request legal representation, call (312) 427-2737 ext. 477

Reentry Guides To access the Education Justice Project’s Reentry Guides go to their website here. ​Workforce Development To get in contact with Precious Blood Ministry about their Work Force Development Program call (773) 952-6643. ​ Expungement Resources For questions/ consultations regarding RAP sheet assistance and/ or Expungement aid, email CEICexpungement@gmail.com ​ I.D., Housing, Social Security, and Birth Certificate Support Reach out to the Chicago Torture Justice Center at info@chicagotorturejustice.org for assistance​ Uptown People's Law Center represents people recently released from prison who are disabled and are applying for Social Security disability benefits. They also represent people living in Chicago who have criminal records and who have been denied housing because of their record. For additional information about their services go to their website or call 773-769-1411.

Educational Resources We believe that it’s possible to end the practice of locking people up and build an Illinois where everyone has what they need and prison is unimaginable. Many call this abolition. Want to learn more about this vision, and how to get there? Check out these great resources . . . To access Abolitionist Toolkits by Critical Resistance, click here. Here is an Abolitionist Book Starter Kit from Haymarket Books. Listen to the For the Wild Podcast w/ Mariame Kaba -- Moving Past Punishment. ​ Community Organizing One of the most important tools we have is people power. We don’t just have to let things happen to us. We can fight back, and we can do it together. Join the Coalition to Decarcerate IL, or one of our member groups, to learn more about how to organize your community and win, so that we can reunite our families and set our loved ones free. Please sign up for our mailing list here and watch for upcoming campaigns, direct action, and organizing opportunities. ​ Advocacy Taking action on behalf of our loved ones to ensure that they experience better treatment and to make sure that our state representatives know what’s going on in their prisons is also important. We recommend attending an Advocacy Training with Restore Justice to learn more about how to advocate for important legal reforms. Support Chicago Votes #UnlockCivics Policy Platform. It includes restoring voting rights to people in prison and ending prison slave labor.

Illinois is fortunate to have an online network of loved ones of the incarcerated via Facebook. If you are a loved one to someone who is currently incarcerated, you can request to join the Family Updates of Loved Ones in IL Prisons and Jails page here. The Coalition to Decarcerate IL Support Group was started during the pandemic by several of our coalition members. It is meant to be a smaller support group for loved ones. Please fill out this form if you would like to join their monthly virtual space and community. Restore Justice also has a loved ones support group called Communities & Relatives of Illinois Incarcerated Children (CRIIC). Most members have loved ones serving serving extreme sentences imposed on them as youth, but everyone is welcome. To learn more or join CRIIC, click here.