Illinois has inaugurated its 103rd General Assembly, with a host of new legislators.
They will join dozens of others who’ve served before, all of whom will grapple with the issues that face our state. One of the biggest issues Illinois — and frankly, the entire United States — is grappling with is the need for public safety. For decades, mass incarceration has been society’s defense in response to any concerns about crime.
But despite writing and passing laws that affect the thousands of people incarcerated in Illinois, very few legislators ever visit a prison and experience for themselves what conditions are like inside.
