Police, Courts, Prisons & Re-Entry
People with disabilities are subjected to police violence, arrested, and incarcerated far more than people without disabilities. All too often, they are then let out of prison or jail without anyone thinking about their disabilities and the things they need to go back into the community. We fight to end criminalization of disability.
Most recent studies show that people with disabilities make up about 40% of any population in jail or prison. That means about 18,000 adults with disabilities are locked up in Illinois jails and prisons.
What we do
Equip for Equality works to protect and enforce the civil and human rights of people with disabilities facing abuse, neglect and discrimination in the criminal legal system, from arrest to reentry.
Decriminalizing disabilities
We have active cases and systemic advocacy in the following areas:
- Improving the conditions of confinement in Illinois’ prisons for people with disabilities, with cases and advocacy specifically focusing on mental health, physical accessibility, and access to special education.
- Improving the treatment of people with mental health disabilities detained of Illinois’ jails and detention centers through monitoring and advocacy at select county institutions.
- Advocating for Chicago Police Department consent decree reforms through representation of the Community Coalition.
- Reducing barriers to re-entry for people with disabilities including specifically for the State’s failure to do discharge planning and coordination of services for people with disabilities re-entering.
How we choose cases
- Legal violations that lead to over incarceration or institutionalization of individuals with disabilities.
- Abuse and neglect of people experiencing acute symptoms of mental illness within pre-trial legal systems.
- Legal barriers to re-entry for individuals with disabilities.
FAQs
If you have questions about your rights in prison, jail, and detention centers, or when talking to the police, look through our fact sheets to learn about your rights.
Police and Disability Rights in Schools There are laws that help people with disabilities protect themselves when interacting
- Police, Courts, Prisons & Re-Entry
- Police, Courts, Prisons & Re-Entry
- Police, Courts, Prisons & Re-Entry
Police and Disability Rights There are laws that help people with disabilities protect themselves when interacting with the
- Police, Courts, Prisons & Re-Entry
Your Rights Matter
Do you have trouble with accessibility in a prison or jail? Have your rights been violated? Contact our Criminal Legal Systems team to get help.