Week of October 1 - 'Dear Governor:'

[Dazzler]

INMATE FAMILIES EXCLUDED FROM HJR 80 COMMITTEE
Open Letter to Rod Blagojevich:


Dear Governor:

There still remains three open seats on the House Joint Resolution 80 Committee, of which you will make one appointment.  The Attorney General and the State Appellate Prosecutor's office also have one appointment each, yet to be announced.  Illinois Prison Talk had encouraged Rep. Tom Cross to appoint an inmate family member to this all-important committee as he recently appointed a victim's family member.  However, he has announced the appointment of his Assistant Speaker of the House Pat Lindner to this post. 

Understandably, we, inmate family members and friends are sadly disappointed that once again our voices will be silenced concerning our loved ones welfare.  We are the forgotten victims.  We are the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, spouses and friends of Illinois inmates who deal with the frustrations, complexities and well-being of our incarcerated family members.  We share guilt and shame.  We share the unknown.  We share the anxiety and heartache of loving and supporting a convicted offender.  We share the stress of visiting and communicating with the Illinois Department of Corrections.  Most inmate families have been touched by an anguish few can understand.  There is little we can do or say in defense of our inmates but we deserve a voice. 

An inmate family member or ex-inmate appointment to the HJR80 Committee would provide a unique insight into the everyday struggles of those so closely affected by prison conditions, policies and long-term imprisonment.  Why not provide us with the opportunity to participate in this process?  Two victim's family members have already been appointed.  We are sympathetic to the life-shattering agony they all endure.  No committee would be complete without their representation.   However, we would welcome the same consideration to offer our valuable input to the Study.  Collectively, we possess a wealth of information relating to long-term imprisonment and the obstacles faced by inmates and their families. 

We realize this wouldn't be a popular decision to some of your constituents.  However, one in every four Illinoisans is affected by incarceration, in a prison or jail, of a family member or friend.  That's a staggering number of people who will have no voice in this Study.  Families of Illinois inmates suffer many hardships.  We bear the cost of exhorbitant telephone calls, expensive visiting expenditures and the burden of supporting our inmates financially.  Yet, we proverbially 'bite the bullet', year after year, oftentimes by families who can least afford these expenses.  We are frequently treated shoddily by DOC staff, as if we are responsible for our loved ones' crimes.  We have no recourse.

You are our final hope.  Your appointment of an inmate family member to the HJR80 Committee would give us a voice that has long been stifled.  This Study should be a multi-faceted examination of the issues concerning long-term incarceration.  To be complete, it's imperative that we be represented.

Governor, however politically unpopular it might be, appointing an inmate family member or ex-inmate would be a fair and prudent decision.

 
 
 
( Ed.note: IPT is requesting that each and every member/friends send this important message to Rod Blagojevich.   Family input has been left out of the HJR80 Committee and we have one final chance to correct this.  Please take a moment to copy this letter and forward to: governor@illinois.gov.)


*For a complete index of previous IPT editorials click here: http://xsorbit30.com/users5/illinoisprisontalk/index.php?board=92.0

[Kinnysbaby]

I just copied and pasted to a email to the Governor. Hope this works and he listens to our plea's.

Cherokee

[SMD]

I did too
     

[janet]

      How can someone became a voice for the inmates and thier famlies ? Do you lknow of a wedsite or a place ect.... Please let me know


                                                                        Janet

[Jims]

Janet, basically this is it. And, writing, writing, writing the legislators and the governor. Glad you asked.

[babybabybaby]

     How can someone became a voice for the inmates and thier famlies ? Do you lknow of a wedsite or a place ect.... Please let me know

Also it helps to be a registered voter, when you are speaking to a senator or member of the house of reps. The house of reps has a Prison Reform committee. The chair is Eddie Washington from Lake county, and Elga Jefferies is the vice chair she is from Cook county the 26th district. There are other members on the committee that may be from your district.

You don't have to be a voice crying out solo. What is troubling you? If we all have simuilar valid concerns we can be one mighty choir: ).

 And this is a great place to be. Hang in there you are not alone.

[Favored23]

Thank you for writing that well written letter. I just emailed it off. You are a tremendous blessing to us Daz. 

[Jims]

You all know that letter was written back in October 2006, right? The committee has long been formed, sub-committees formed, and the entire committee has been meeting.

[Favored23]

Thanks Jims I did not know.  I thought it was written now. 

[janet]

 
                                      What is the gov email address ???

[Forevermah]

This is an old topic, like Jims said.  It is from 2006

You all know that letter was written back in October 2006, right? The committee has long been formed, sub-committees formed, and the entire committee has been meeting.