CHICAGO (Feb. 24, 2016) – The Illinois Policy Institute, American Civil Liberties Union and Illinois State Commission on Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform are partnering to host a panel Wednesday, Feb. 24 to discuss ways to reform the state’s broken criminal-justice system. Decatur resident Lisa Creason will open the panel by sharing her personal story about why criminal justice reform is sorely needed in Illinois.

When Creason was 19, she attempted to steal from a Subway because she had no food for her and her daughter. She was convicted of attempted robbery and served her sentence. Twenty years later, she has completely rebuilt her life. She went to nursing school hoping to become a registered nurse. But after finishing school, Illinois law changed preventing her from becoming a nurse because of her crime from 20 years ago. She’s now part of a coalition pushing Senate Bill 42, which would allow ex-offenders like her the chance to petition the state for a license to practice as a registered nurse.

The panel will discuss the challenges people face as they try to re-enter society. In particular, the panel will focus on the first set of recommendations from the Illinois State Commission on Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform, released last month. Gov. Bruce Rauner established the commission in 2015 to find ways to reduce the level of incarceration in Illinois 25 percent by 2025.

WHAT: Panel focusing on criminal-justice reform

WHEN: 8 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24

WHERE: Jenner & Block LLP, 335 N. Clark St. Chicago

WHO: 

John Maki, executive director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority
Bryant Jackson-Green, criminal justice policy analyst with the Illinois Policy Institute.
Ben Ruddell, criminal justice policy attorney with the ACLU of Illinois
Khadine Bennett, moderator and staff attorney and legislative counsel with the ACLU of Illinois

Attendees can register for the event at Eventbrite. The panel and Lisa Creason will be available for interviews with the media starting at 7:30 a.m.

For bookings or interviews: Diana Rickert or Joe Kaiser 312-607-4977