Restore Justice Foundation

The Illinois Prison Project (IPP), a division of Restore Justice Foundation since 2020, works to address the devastating impact of decades of over-prosecution and over-sentencing targeting communities of color, by advocating for the creation and expansion of mechanisms to correct unjust, unnecessary, or excessive sentences. IPP represents incarcerated people who have been harmed by unjust and often racially biased policies or practices, advocating for both the individual and system-wide reform. This award supports IPP’s Equip, Empower, and Engage project: equipping incarcerated persons with knowledge and resources to access the benefits of recently enacted Illinois criminal justice reform legislation; empowering people who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system to shift narratives about excessive and racially disparate sentences; and engaging a diverse range of stakeholders in coalition to advocate for robust sentencing reform in Illinois.