Slaughter Measure Creates Resentencing Task Force to Rein In Illinois’ Growing Prison Population

CHICAGO – To reduce Illinois’ ever-growing prison expenditures and advance the interests of justice, state Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, recently championed legislation that will create a statewide task force on resentencing which will look for ways to safely reduce Illinois’ prison population.  

“Millions of Black and Brown individuals were either incarcerated or over sentenced due to racist policing and policies that peaked during the failed War on Drugs,” said Slaughter. “Our communities are dying, and we can no longer afford to wait to be handed down a solution. Now is the time for change.”

Slaughter’s House Bill 3587, which passed both houses with strong bipartisan support, was recently signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. This legislation will create the Resentencing Task Force, which will develop new ideas for reducing Illinois’ prison population. Additionally, the law expands the ability of state’s attorneys throughout the state by giving them the power to petition the court where an offender was sentenced to reevaluate and amend their sentence.  Implemented reforms would aim to reduce our prison population and advance social justice by correcting overly harsh sentences.

“We are simply spending too much money and resources on locking people up in cages instead of improving our schools, feeding the needy and sheltering the homeless,” said Slaughter. “Our government’s dollars should work for us instead of working to lock us up.”