In 2013, the MacArthur Justice Center and the Uptown People’s Law Center filed a class action lawsuit against the Illinois Department of Corrections and the Illinois Prisoner Review Board targeting the state’s parole revocation process for adults.
Adults accused of violating parole were languishing in prison for months without counsel or fair hearings. They were found to be in violation of the conditions of their parole without the State presenting any real evidence against them.
After years of litigation, a settlement was reached in October 2016 that required Illinois to provide state-funded attorneys and adequate hearings to eligible parolees accused of violating parole.
Parole revocation is a leading cause of mass incarceration in the United States. Too many individuals are revoked and sent back to prison unnecessarily.
Meanwhile, parole officials violate long-established precedents guaranteeing minimally fair procedures, misconduct that is immunized since parole proceedings occur behind prison walls, beyond court or public oversight.
The Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center has worked to shed light on and challenge these systemic injustices for years. In Illinois, we sought and won fair procedures and a right to counsel for both youth and adults in revocation proceedings.