Together, we can redefine the narrative on women's justice, and transform systems.
Impacted women, policymakers, practitioners, researchers and others are working together in exciting ways.
The Women's Justice Institute (WJI) provides meaningful education, data and perspectives to local, state, national and international media outlets on women's mass incarceration. Email us should there be interest in covering any of WJI's work or for helpful background information.
Media Inquiries
Statewide Women’s Justice Task Force Announces the
$1 Billion Proposition:
A Groundbreaking Plan to Cut Women’s Prison Population
by 50%+ and Beyond
Accelerated by the unanticipated impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Illinois is on track to become the first state in the nation to achieve such a reduction
APRIL 28 2021
April 29 2021
April 29 2021
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
CHICAGO, IL
Report Calls for Reducing the Number of Women in Prison & More Support
April 29 2021
April 29 2021
TRUTHOUT
TRUTHOUT
NATIONWIDE
New Report Looks at Strategies to Cut Incarceration of Illinois Women by Half
April 29 2021
April 29 2021
PANTAGRAPH
PANTAGRAPH
BLOOMINGTON, IL
Report Calls for Reducing the Number of Women in Prison & More Support
April 29 2021
April 29 2021
QUAD CITY TIMES
QUAD CITY TIMES
QUAD CITIES, IL
Report Calls for Reducing the Number of Women in Prison & More Support
April 29 2021
April 29 2021
JOURNAL GAZETTE & COURIER
JOURNAL GAZETTE & COURIER
MATTOON, IL
Report Calls for Reducing the Number of Women in Prison & More Support
April 28 2021
April 28 2021
CAPITOL FAX
CAPITOL FAX
SPRINGFIELD, IL
Today's Must Read
April 28 2021
April 28 2021
NBC CHANNEL 5
NBC CHANNEL 5
CHICAGO, IL
Criminal Justice Reform for Women
April 28 2021
April 28 2021
WCIA CBS CHAMPAIGN
WCIA CBS CHAMPAIGN
CHAMPAIGN, IL
Plan to Cut Women's Prison Population
April 28 2021
April 28 2021
FOX 32 CHICAGO
FOX 32 CHICAGO
CHICAGO, IL
Report Calls for Reducing the Number of Women in Prison & More Support
April 29 2021
April 29 2021
WICD ABC CHAMPAIGN
WICD ABC CHAMPAIGN
CHAMPAIGN, IL
Women Incarcerated
April 28 2021
April 28 2021
WICS ABC SPRINGFIELD
WICS ABC SPRINGFIELD
SPRINGFIELD, IL
Women Incarcerated
April 28 2021
April 28 2021
WRSP CHAMPAIGN
WRSP CHAMPAIGN
CHAMPAIGN, IL
Reducing the Women Incarcerated
April 28 2021
April 28 2021
WGN AM ONLINE
WGN AM ONLINE
CHICAGO, IL
Women's Justice Institute Working on Plans to Cut Women's Prison Population in Illinois by 50%
April 29 2021
April 29 2021
THE CRIME REPORT
THE CRIME REPORT
NATIONWIDE
Illinois Task Force Urges 250 Sweeping Reforms for Female Incarcerees
April 29 2021
April 29 2021
POLITICO ILLINOIS PLAYBOOK
POLITICO ILLINOIS PLAYBOOK
NATIONWIDE
Report Calls for Reducing the Number of Women in Prison & More Support
WAND TV DECATUR
WAND TV DECATUR
April 30 2021
April 30 2021
DECATUR, IL
Women's Justice Institute pushing to cut Illinois women's prison population in half
Join us to Redefine the Narrative
Join us to Redefine the Narrative
APRIL 28 2021 from 10:30am to 1:30pm CST
APRIL 28 2021 from 10:30am to 1:30pm CST
Statewide Women's Justice Task Force of IL Convenes First Regional Listening Session in Bloomington
WJI, YWCA & League of Women Voters Challenge Community to Share Actionable Ideas for Cutting Women's Prison Population by 50%
JUNE 5 2019
June 6 2019
June 6 2019
THE PANTAGRAPH
THE PANTAGRAPH
BLOOMINGTON, IL
Solutions Explored to Help
Incarcerated Women
June 5 2019
June 5 2019
PEORIA TV 25
PEORIA TV 25
PEORIA, IL
Task Force Wants to Reduce
Women's Prison Population by 50%
June 5 2019
June 5 2019
CENTRAL IL PROUD
CENTRAL IL PROUD
BLOOMINGTON, IL
Women's Justice Institute Hopes to Lower Number of Women Going to Prison
June 5 2019
June 5 2019
HEART OF ILLINOIS - ABC
HEART OF ILLINOIS - ABC
BLOOMINGTON, IL
Task Force Wants to Reduce Women's Prison Population by 50%
Task Force Wants to Reduce Women's Prison Population by 50%
WJI Team's Groundbreaking Work Revealing Challenges & Solutions to Higher Discipline Among Women vs Men
Spurs 15-State Investigation by the Chicago Reporter, NPR and the Medill School of Journalism
"Unequal Discipline":
Data Reveals A Troubling National Trend
OCTOBER 14 2018
"We determined that although female inmates are less likely than their male counterparts to act out violently in prison, they receive more disciplinary tickets for minor offenses — matters that are unlikely to compromise safety." The Chicago Reporter
October 14, 2018
October 14, 2018
THE CHICAGO REPORTER
THE CHICAGO REPORTER
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Unequal Discipline: Women in Prison Punished More Harshly Than Men Across the Country
4-Day Series: October 14-17, 2018
4-Day Series: October 14-17, 2018
NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO
NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO
WASHINGTON, DC
NPR Series Features Interviews with WJI Team Members: Monica Cosby, Alyssa Benedict, Maggie Burke,Deanne Benos & NRCJIW Partner Becki Ney
WJI Launches Historic 100-Woman Task Force to Make IL the First State to Cut the Women's Prison Population by 50% (or more)
Elevated by Leadership of Formerly Incarcerated Women, Members Seek to "Redefine the Narrative" Through Gender Responsive Interventions
JULY 18 2018
July 18, 2018
July 18, 2018
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
CHICAGO, IL
'Prison is not where women need to be':
All-female task force wants to cut Illinois’ female prison population in half
July 21, 2018
July 21, 2018
NPR WEEKEND EDITION
NPR WEEKEND EDITION
INTERVIEW WITH ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANNE BURKE
Illinoisan Working to Reduce Number of Female Inmates
July 18, 2018
July 18, 2018
THE PANTAGRAPH
THE PANTAGRAPH
BLOOMINGTON, IL
New Task Force Aims to Halve Female Prison Population
July 22, 2018
July 22, 2018
THE SOUTHERN
THE SOUTHERN
CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS
A new Illinois task force hopes to reduce women incarcerations by 50 percent in seven years
July 18, 2018
July 18, 2018
CBS CHICAGO CHANNEL 2
CBS CHICAGO CHANNEL 2
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Reforms Aim To Reduce State’s Female Prison Population
July 18, 2018
July 18, 2018
WTTW CHICAGO TONITE
WTTW CHICAGO TONITE
Task Force Aims to Reduce Number of Women in Illinois Prisons
Top Prison Officials & Formerly Incarcerated Women Join Forces to Launch Bi-Partisan National Model Women’s Prison/Parole Reform Law
In Response to “Me Too” Movement, IDOC Unveils Unprecedented New Mission Statement Calling for “Decriminalization of Survivorship"
DECEMBER 4, 2017
December 4, 2017
December 4, 2017
WJI NEWS RELEASE
WJI NEWS RELEASE
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Top Prison Officials & Formerly Incarcerated Women Join Forces to Launch National Model Women’s Prison/Parole Reform Law:
In Response to “Me Too” Movement, IDOC Unveils Unprecedented New Mission Statement Calling for “Decriminalization of Survivorship”
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner Signs Bi-Partisan National Model Women’s Prison/Parole Reform Law
Authored by The Women's Justice Institute (WJI) the Law Mandates "Gender Responsive, Trauma-Informed & Family-Centered Systems"
JANUARY 16, 2018
January 16, 2018
January 16, 2018
SPRINGFIELD JOURNAL REGISTER
SPRINGFIELD JOURNAL REGISTER
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
Rauner signs bill to focus on needs of female prison inmates
January 16, 2018
January 16, 2018
ILLINOIS PUBLIC RADIO
ILLINOIS PUBLIC RADIO
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
Rauner Signs Law To Help Women Behind Bars
January 16, 2018
January 16, 2018
HERALD & REVIEW
HERALD & REVIEW
DECATUR, ILLINOIS
Rauner signs law creating Corrections women's division
January 16, 2018
January 16, 2018
THE PANTAGRAPH
THE PANTAGRAPH
BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS
Rauner signs law creating IDOC women's division
January 16, 2018
January 16, 2018
ILLINOIS CHANNEL
ILLINOIS CHANNEL
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
Governor Rauner signs HB-1479 creating the Women’s Division at the Logan Correctional Facility in Lincoln
Gender Inequality in the Prison System
“I proudly worked with WJI on this historic legislation to set standards ensuring women are never overlooked by our prison system again,” said HB3904 sponsor State Rep. Juliana Stratton. “By addressing their unique risks/needs, we will make prisons safer, while improving outcomes for women and their children.”
SEPTEMBER 15, 2017
September 15, 2017
September 15, 2017
CHICAGO WOMAN MAGAZINE
CHICAGO WOMAN MAGAZINE
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Gender Inequality in the Prison System
Female Inmate Focus of House Reform Measure
"The movement to improve conditions for the 2,500 women housed in Illinois' two female prisons is advancing with passage of a House bill that would create a women's services division in the Department of Corrections to oversee the unique needs of women, most of whom were abused before they arrived at the prison door."
MAY 2, 2017
May 2, 2017
May 2, 2017
THE PANTAGRAPH
THE PANTAGRAPH
BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS
Female Inmates Focus of House Reform Measure
Top IDOC Officials Stand with WJI, Formerly Incarcerated Women & Other National Experts Launch Historic Women's Prison & Parole Reform Strategy
Release Landmark Assessment Report of
IDOC's Larget Women's Prison at National Forum
NOVEMBER 18, 2016
November 18, 2018
November 18, 2018
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
Study: Illinois Women's Prison Treats Inmates Too Harshly
November 27, 2016
November 27, 2016
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Conditions at State's Sole Women's Prison "Untenable": Study
November 18, 2018
November 18, 2018
FOX CHANNEL 32 CHICAGO
FOX CHANNEL 32 CHICAGO
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Study: Illinois Women's Prison Treats Inmates Too Harshly
November 18, 2016
November 18, 2016
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
Prison-Guards' Union Embraces More Logan Staffing, Training