Prisoner Access to the Court and Adequate Law Libraries

Over the past two years, JHA has corresponded with thousands of people incarcerated within the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) and visited IDOC prisons of all security classifications, collecting more than 20,000 surveys from people who live and work at these facilities, as well as observing conditions, speaking with people, and reviewing facility specific information. From this work, it is apparent that access to law libraries and legal information, and hence to courts, is an area of concern.

This report memorializes of our findings and presents nine recommendations for our state to better meet the needs and constitutional rights of people who are incarcerated in Illinois. (2019)