Illinois Higher Education in Prison Task Force 2022 Report

The Illinois Higher Education in Prison Task Force was created by House Joint Resolution 27 in the 102nd General Assembly. The resolution recognized the need for policy and legislative supports to provide incarcerated people with safe and dignified learning environments and to ensure equitable expansion of educational opportunities throughout the state. The Task Force comprised 19 statutorily required members, including state agency representatives, legislators, students, and administrators with higher education in prison experience, subject matter experts, and individuals who had been incarcerated in Illinois. Task Force members represented a broad range of research, practice, and policy expertise in higher education and criminal justice. The Task Force crafted recommendations for the growth of quality higher education in prison programming in Illinois.