FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Thursday, May 12, 2011

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Majority Caucus Whip Mattie Hunter (D–Chicago) today passed legislation out of the Senate to address the State’s disproportionate incarceration of African-Americans for low-level, non-violent drug offenses. 

House Bill 2048, a recommendation of the Illinois Disproportionate Justice Impact Study Commission (DJIS) created by Senator Hunter, allows State’s Attorney Offices to use funds generated by the sale of property seized during drug arrests to support local drug treatment facilities and half-way houses.

“The Illinois criminal process has been proven to negatively affect low-income, minority communities the most,” Hunter said.  “All taxpayers should be outraged to see that their money is being used to incarcerate these low-level offenders instead of going to less expensive rehabilitation programs that help to turn drug users into working, tax-paying citizens.”

At the end of its investigation, the Commission submitted five recommendations to address the disproportionate incarceration of African-Americans.  Those recommendations were to institute racial & ethnic impact statements, expand sentencing alternatives, reduce barriers to employment, use drug forfeiture funds to address the problem, and fund alternatives to incarceration. 

“I have been incredibly pleased to see my colleagues accept the Commission’s proposals to help rectify this upsetting trend,” Hunter said.  “This year, we have passed legislation addressing most of the Commission’s recommendations.  We must realize that Illinois cannot revert back to a system in which incarceration and institutionalization is more common than rehabilitation.”

The General Assembly established the Commission in 2008 through legislation sponsored by Hunter.  Its goal was to examine the impact of Illinois drug laws on racial and ethnic groups.  The Commission released a report in January that revealed that African-Americans charged with low-level drug crimes were sent to prison at a rate almost five times greater than whites in 2005, the most recent year for which the comprehensive data set was available.

House Bill 2048 has passed both the House and Senate and now awaits Governor Pat Quinn’s signature. 
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