NEWS​
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
WJI SPOTLIGHT
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

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

CHICAGO, IL
Report Calls for Reducing the Number of Women in Prison & More Support

April 29 2021

TRUTHOUT

NATIONWIDE
​New Report Looks at Strategies to Cut Incarceration of Illinois Women by Half

April 29 2021

PANTAGRAPH

BLOOMINGTON, IL
​Report Calls for Reducing the Number of Women in Prison & More Support

April 29 2021

QUAD CITY TIMES

QUAD CITIES, IL
Report Calls for Reducing the Number of Women in Prison & More Support

April 29 2021

JOURNAL GAZETTE & COURIER

MATTOON, IL 
Report Calls for Reducing the Number of Women in Prison & More Support

April 28 2021

CAPITOL FAX

SPRINGFIELD, IL
​Today's Must Read

April 28 2021

NBC CHANNEL 5

CHICAGO, IL
​Criminal Justice Reform for Women

April 28 2021

WCIA CBS CHAMPAIGN

CHAMPAIGN, IL
Plan to Cut Women's Prison Population

April 28 2021

FOX 32 CHICAGO

CHICAGO, IL
Report Calls for Reducing the Number of Women in Prison & More Support

April 29 2021

WICD ABC CHAMPAIGN

CHAMPAIGN, IL
​Women Incarcerated

April 28 2021

WICS ABC SPRINGFIELD

SPRINGFIELD, IL
​Women Incarcerated

April 28 2021

WRSP CHAMPAIGN

CHAMPAIGN, IL
Reducing the Women Incarcerated

April 28 2021

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

THE CRIME REPORT

NATIONWIDE
Illinois Task Force Urges 250 Sweeping Reforms for Female Incarcerees

April 29 2021

POLITICO ILLINOIS PLAYBOOK

NATIONWIDE
Report Calls for Reducing the Number of Women in Prison & More Support​

WAND TV DECATUR

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​​

WJI SPOTLIGHT

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
WJI SPOTLIGHT

June 6 2019

THE PANTAGRAPH

BLOOMINGTON, IL
Solutions Explored to Help
Incarcerated Women

June 5 2019

PEORIA TV 25

PEORIA, IL
Task Force Wants to Reduce
Women's Prison Population by 50%

June 5 2019

CENTRAL IL PROUD

BLOOMINGTON, IL
Women's Justice Institute Hopes to Lower Number of Women Going to Prison

June 5 2019

HEART OF ILLINOIS - ABC

BLOOMINGTON, IL
Task Force Wants to Reduce Women's Prison Population by 50%


O​​October 14 2018
WJI SPOTLIGHT

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

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

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 SPOTLIGHT

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, 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

NPR WEEKEND EDITION

INTERVIEW WITH ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANNE BURKE
Illinoisan Working to Reduce Number of Female Inmates

July 18, 2018

THE PANTAGRAPH

BLOOMINGTON, IL
New Task Force Aims to Halve Female Prison Population

July 22, 2018

THE SOUTHERN

CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS
A new Illinois task force hopes to reduce women incarcerations by 50 percent in seven years

BROADCAST

July 18, 2018

CBS CHICAGO CHANNEL 2

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Reforms Aim To Reduce State’s Female Prison Population

July 18, 2018

WTTW CHICAGO TONITE

Task Force Aims to Reduce Number of Women in Illinois Prisons
December 4 2017

WJI SPOTLIGHT


​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​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

​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”

January 16, 2018
WJI SPOTLIGHT


​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​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

SPRINGFIELD JOURNAL REGISTER

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
Rauner signs bill to focus on needs of female prison inmates

January 16, 2018

ILLINOIS PUBLIC RADIO

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
Rauner Signs Law To Help Women Behind Bars

January 16, 2018

HERALD & REVIEW

DECATUR, ILLINOIS
Rauner signs law creating Corrections women's division

January 16, 2018

THE PANTAGRAPH

BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS
Rauner signs law creating IDOC women's division

January 16, 2018

ILLINOIS CHANNEL

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
Governor Rauner signs HB-1479 creating the Women’s Division at the Logan Correctional Facility in Lincoln
September 15, 2017
WJI SPOTLIGHT
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

CHICAGO WOMAN MAGAZINE

​CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Gender Inequality in the Prison System

May 2, 2017
WJI SPOTLIGHT
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

THE PANTAGRAPH

BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS

Female Inmates Focus of House Reform Measure

November 18, 2016
WJI SPOTLIGHT
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

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS

Study: Illinois Women's Prison Treats Inmates Too Harshly

November 27, 2016

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Conditions at State's Sole Women's Prison "Untenable": Study

November 18, 2018

FOX CHANNEL 32 CHICAGO

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Study: Illinois Women's Prison Treats Inmates Too Harshly

November 18, 2016

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS

Prison-Guards' Union Embraces More Logan Staffing, Training