Pretrial Fairness Under Attack
Over the past five years, Community Renewal Society member congregations worked, together with the Coalition to End Money Bond and the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice, to eliminate the use of wealth-based pretrial incarceration in Illinois. The Pretrial Fairness Act (HB 3653) passed and was signed into law in February 22, 2021.
Community Renewal Society has signed on to the letter below that reminds our state legislators of our moral and religious imperative to support this victory without allowing regressive policies to counteract them. This is important because legislators have received increasing calls for punitive policies recently that threaten progress in our movement.
February 15, 2022
Re: Faith Leaders Call for Legislators to Resist Punitive Policies
To the members of the Illinois Legislature,
It is our prayer that this letter finds you well. As faith leaders representing numerous denominations across the state, we write with concern about calls for the Illinois legislature to double down on the failed policies of punishment that brought us mass incarceration. Last year, you advanced righteous reforms with the passage of progressive criminal justice legislation.
Despite regressive backlash from some law enforcement and legislators, you have done a great thing by championing justice reform and ought not counteract that progress with policies that expand incarceration.
As the state continues to implement provisions of recent reforms, we know that some voices are seeking to imperil the efficacy of this work and drag us back towards the punitive policies that have failed our communities for decades. On behalf of faith communities throughout Illinois, we urge you to resist calls for regressive, punitive legislation. Rather than taking us backward, we are calling on you to boldly take us further down the road to justice by continuing the work that was spurred and reignited by the nationwide protests in defense of Black lives.
The heart of criminal justice and pretrial reform speaks to the heart of our deeply held beliefs as people of faith: the belief that each person’s life is sacred, and everyone should be treated justly and fairly in the systems we allow to govern us. Laws that punish people who are legally presumed innocent and awaiting trial, or that do not protect people from abuse by a legal system with a historical penchant for racial discrimination and inequity, violate those principles. Criminal justice reform honors the truth that no human being is beyond redemption or unworthy of restoration. By passing laws that focus less on punishment and more on preventing and repairing harm in our communities, you help lead us toward a safe, thriving, beloved community in Illinois.
As faith leaders, we commit to move in solidarity with you as you continue to fight for criminal justice reforms that are restorative, redemptive, and that challenge what is comfortable for many in order to advance what is fair for all.
May God bless you and keep you,
Signed:
Aryeh Bernstein, Avodah, National Jewish Educator
Cantor David Goldstein, North Shore Congregation Israel
Cantor Michelle Drucker, Friedman Emanuel Congregation
Fr. K. Edward Copeland, Pastor, New Zion Baptist Church
Fr. Paul Gallagher, OFM, St. Bendice the Black Friary
Fr. Carroll Mizicko, St. Augustine of Hippo Catholic Church
Fr. Philip Maikkula, St. Makarios the Great Orthodox Mission
Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, Justice For All
Imam Bader Hafeez, Masjid Dawah
Imam Tariq I. El-Amin, Masjid Al-Taqwa
Jason Dewey, Pastor, The Sign of the Dove Church, Waukegan
Jia Johnson, Project Manager, McCormick Theological Seminary
Kai Lawrence, Pastor, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Ken Webster, President, St. Paul UCC, Pekin, Ill. Congregation
Kevin J McLemore, Pastor, Epiphany United Church of Christ
Kristan Veenbaas, Co-Director of Older Adult Ministries, Community Presbyterian Church Clarendon Hills
Lindsey Ann Long Joyce, Pastor, United Church of Rogers Park and Grace Church of Logan Square
Luther Mason, Pastor, SOUL
Martha Daniels, Pastor, Holy Covenant MCV
Marvin E. Wickware, Jr., Assistant Professor of Church and Society and Ethics, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
Matthew Krings, Pastor, Berry United Methodist Church
Minister Attorney M. Michelle Day, Nehemiah Trinity Rising
Minister Kim Marie Grice, Illinois Conference, United Church of Christ
Minister Robert Bushey, Central Christian Church (Bourbonnais, IL)
Misbahudeen Ahmed Rufai, Lamp of Faith Institute
Omar A Karim, Executive Director, Ephraim Bahar Cultural Center
Pastor Adam Dowd, Lord of Life Lutheran Church Darien
Pastor Elle Dowd, South Loop Campus Ministry
Pastor Marissa Drake, Zion Temple, O'Fallon IL
Pastor Patrick Fish, St Marks Lutheran Church
Rabbi Amy L. Memis-Foler, Beth Emet The Free Synagogue, Evanston
Rabbi Brant Rosen, Tzedek Chicago
Rabbi Daniel Kirzane, Oak Park Temple
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, Scholar in
Residence, National Council of Jewish Women
Rabbi Dr. Rachel S. Mikva, Chicago Theological Seminary
Rabbi Isaac Serotta, Makom Solel Lakeside
Rabbi Jason Fenster, Congregation BJBE
Rabbi Jessica Wainer, Congregation Etz Chaim
Rabbi Lisa Sari Bellows, Senior Rabbi Congregation Beth Am
Rabbi Rachel Kaplan Marks, Temple Beth Israel
Rabbi Rebecca L. Dubowe, Moses Montefiore Congregation
Rabbi Shoshanah Conover, Temple Sholom of Chicago
Rev. Alexander E. Sharp, Clergy for A New Drug Policy
Rev. Alice Harper-Jones, Associate Pastor, Kenwood United Church of Christ
Rev. Alka Lyall, Broadway United Methodist Church
Rev. Allen Harden, Beverly Unitarian Church
Rev. Amity Carrubba, Grace Episcopal Church
Rev. Angela Fleming, Illinois Great Rivers West Side Parish
Rev. Beth Freese Dammers, Community Presbyterian Church of Clarendon Hills
Rev. Beverly Wilkes-Null, Center for Faith and Spirituality
Rev. Catherine R Watkins, Chicago Metropolitan Assn, UCC
Rev. Charing Wei-Jen Chen, Minister of Media, United Church of Hyde Park
Rev. Charles Burton, Unity Fellowship Alton
Rev. Charles Straight, Faith United Methodist Church
Rev. Colleen Vahey, Minister, Third Unitarian Church
Rev. Craig T. Robinson, Jr., St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church
Rev. Darice Wright, Life Church in Chicago Heights
Rev. Darrick Jackson, Affiliated Community Minister of Second Unitarian Church of Chicago
Rev. Dawn Cooley, Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Rev. Dee Evans, Abraham Lincoln Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Derek Elmi-Buursma, Pastor, Loop Church Chicago
Rev. Donald Cameron, First Unitarian Church of Chicago
Rev. Dr. Benjamin Squires, Pastor, Bethel Lutheran Church
Rev. Dr. Beth Brown, Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church
Rev. Dr. Christina Berry, First Presbyterian Church
Rev. Dr. Ebony D. Only, First Baptist Church of University Park
Rev. Dr. Mark Barclay, Trinity United Church of Christ
Rev. Dr. Marilyn Pagán-Banks, San Lucas UCC
Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson, The Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford
Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III Senior Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ
Rev. Elizabeth A. Harding, AM, MDiv, LCSW Affiliated Community Minister at Second Unitarian Church of Chicago
Rev. Elizabeth Jones, St. Luke's Christian Community Church (UCC)
Rev. Emily Gage, Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation , Minister of Faith Development
Rev. Erik Christensen, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
Rev. Frank Coens, Franciscan Friars of East St. Louis
Rev. Grant Swanson, Urban Village Church, Chicago
Rev. Harriet Cavanah Dart, Pilgrim Congregational UCC
Rev. Hilary Krivchenia, Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Jacob Gawlik, St. John's Lutheran Church - Sterling
Rev. Jaime L. Fluker, SOUL
Rev. Jason Coulter, Ravenswood UCC
Rev. Jason Lydon, Second Unitarian Church of Chicago
Rev. Jeffrey Phillips, United Church of Christ
Rev. Jennifer Warren Hauser, First United Presbyterian Church
Rev. Jesse Knox III, Congregational Church of the Good Shepherd
Rev. John Bell Wesley, United Methodist Church
Rev. John Dillon, Ridgefield-Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church
Rev. Jon Gilbert Martinez, Christ Church UCC - Des Plaines
Rev. Josh Ebener, Pastor, St Andrew Lutheran Church, West Chicago IL
Rev. Joyce Palmer, Unitarian Universalist Church Rockford
Rev. Julian DeShazier, University Church
Rev. Julie Taylor, Meadville Lombard Theological School
Rev. Karen Mooney, Exec. Co-Director UUANI Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of IL (UUANI)
Rev. Lauren Patrus-Betzel, Willow Creek Presbyterian Church
Rev. Lawrence R Dowling, St. Agatha Catholic Church
Rev. Linda S. Slabon, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of DeKalb, IL. Minister Emerita
Rev. Lindsey Hammond, Policy Director, Restore Justice
Rev. Linny Hartzell, St. Andrew United Methodist Church
Rev. Lisa Telomen, Associate Pastor, United Methodist Church of Geneva
Rev. Lisa Noel Zook, Chicago Theological Seminary
Rev. Luis F. Reyes, First United Methodist Church of Lombard
Rev. Marcus M. Guerra Jr., Ezekiel's Heart Ministry,
Rev. Mark Winters, First Congregational United Church of Christ
Rev. Michael B. Crosby, Pastor, First Mennonite Church of Champaign-Urbana
Rev. Michael D. Jones, St. John United Church of Christ
Rev. Michael Russell, Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the ELCA
Rev. Nicolette Marie Penaranda, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rev. Norma Patterson Good Shepherd of Faith United Church of Christ
Rev. Pamela Rumancik, Unitarian Church of Hinsdale
Rev. Paula Cripps-Vallejo, Humboldt Park UMC
Rev. Rachel Birkhahn-Rommelfanger, Northern IL Conference of the United Methodist Church
Rev. Randall K. Blakey, LaSalle Street Church
Rev. Rebecca Gant, Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington-Normal
Rev. Richard Lanford Pastor, St. Peter's United Church of Christ
Rev. Ryan Wallace, First Presbyterian Church of Libertyville
Rev. Sally Iberg, United Church of Christ
Rev. Samuel Paul Jr, Founder/CEO of Praise House Anti-Racism Institute, Inc.
Rev. Scott Aaseng, Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of IL
Rev. Scott Hodge, The Orchard Community
Rev. Scot Hull, Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, IL
Rev. Sem. Liz Kuster, SOUL Rev. Sem. Melissa Dailey, SOUL
Rev. Stephanie E. Anthony, Fox Valley Presbyterian Church
Rev. Stephen Loch Bowie, Third Presbyterian Church of Rockford, IL
Rev. Susan Frances, Assistant Minister, Unitarian Church of Evanston
Rev. Susan Martersteck, Retired Hospice Chaplain
Rev. Thomas Robert Gaulke, Gethsemane Lutheran Church of Cicero
Rev. Timothy S. Stevens, First Congregational Church of Evanston (UCC)
Rev. Troy Underwood, Covenant United Church of Christ
Rev. Veronica M Johnson, Hyde Park Union Church
Rev. Vilius Rudra Dundzila, Peoples Church of Chicago (UUA/UCC)
Rev. Violet Johnicker, Brooke Road United Methodist Church
Rev. William C. Sasso, Minister Emeritus, Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship
Sally Scheib, Associate Pastor, Bethel United Church of Christ
Seamus Enright, Pastor, Reynolds United Methodist Church
Sem. Olivia Riddle, SOUL
Seth M. Limmer, Senior Rabbi, Chicago Sinai Congregation
Shawna M Bowman, Friendship Presbyterian Church
The Rev. Allison Bengfort, Pastor, St. John's Lutheran Church of Wilmette, IL
The Rev. Dr. Eric Lemonholm, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd
The Rev. Makayla Dahleen, St. Paul Lutheran Church
Waltrina Middleton, Executive Director, Community Renewal Society
*CRS Member Congregation