Institute of Politics

Overview of Organization:

ILJP advances policies and practices that reduce violence, decrease incarceration and recidivism and make the justice system more equitable. ILJP works to promote criminal justice reform in Illinois at the local, regional and state levels on behalf of underserved communities, with an emphasis on racial inequity and poverty. This work is carried out through development, advocacy and implementation oversight of policies and practices.

ILJP, composed of a small staff of nine, continues justice policy work that began in 2000 within Chicago Metropolis 2020. From the start, ILJP's work has been rooted in strong collaboration on criminal justice issues with key stakeholders in government, advocacy groups, the community and business leaders. Some of the legacy includes working in coalitions leading to the separation of the youth division from the Department of Corrections, creating the Department of Juvenile Justice; creating Juvenile and Adult Redeploy Illinois programs, the Sentencing Policy Advisory Council, foundational statewide bond reform legislation, and the Illinois Reentry Council.

On an ongoing basis, ILJP convenes a series of coalition-building events to advance justice reform including:

• Monthly meetings of juvenile justice advocates, adult justice advocates, and police reform advocates
• Illinois Juvenile Justice Leadership Council (JJLC), a statewide group of justice decision-makers, is co-chaired by Illinois Supreme Court Justices Joy Cunningham and Lisa Holder White and the Directors of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, Rob Vickery and of the Department of Children and Family Services, Heidi Mueller. ILJP staffs and facilitates the JJLC, a quarterly meeting of decision-makers, service providers, government, and reform advocates. Each meeting is designed to highlight some aspects of the juvenile system, comparing Illinois policy and practices to other jurisdictions, with the goal of improving outcomes for youth, their families and communities.
• Justice 20/20, a statewide network of advocates which includes 4 working groups whose members address areas of criminal legal reform, the mission of which is to disrupt the cycle of criminalization and incarceration, address the structural harms of the Illinois criminal legal system, and support the creation of community conditions that lead to “No Entry” into the system, by strengthening and leveraging the collective work and power of those working to do the same.
• The Illinois Reentry Council, a statewide group of formerly incarcerated people, policy makers, researchers, advocates, representatives from government agencies, all working together to build a reentry system in Illinois that can meet the needs of every returning resident so that they can overcome barriers and build stability.

Internship Summary:

The internship provides students an opportunity to actively participate in the partnership, collaboration, and decision-making with ILJP staff, with government decision-makers (city, county and state), community service providers and justice advocates in policy development and implementation of reform efforts in the adult and juvenile justice systems. This internship offers an exciting opportunity for students interested in gaining exposure and insight into the forces—including research, advocacy, media, electoral politics, fiscal constraints, and judicial, legislative and executive decision-making—that shape the development and implementation of policies and programs related to adult and juvenile justice systems’ reform efforts in Illinois.

Some of what ILJP will be working on this academic year and thereafter includes:

• Convening the Quarterly Meetings of the Juvenile Justice Leadership Council (January, April, July, and October)
• Convening the Illinois Reentry Council and its monthly workgroups, including reentry housing research and programming
• Convening Justice 20/20 and its monthly workgroups
• Monthly convenings of juvenile and adult advocates
• Informing elected officials about justice-related legislative issues
• Addressing reform of Juvenile Detention Centers throughout the state.

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities will depend on skills and experience with project management, as demonstrated during the internship. General responsibilities will be to:

• Assist staff members in strategy development, policy research and written analysis, event planning, and other duties as assigned
• Assist in supporting project implementation
• Develop, under the guidance of senior staff, an individual project pertaining to a criminal justice subfield of your choice
• Attend policy development and implementation meetings and coalition-building events with senior staff
• Attend educational events and discussions of interest to the intern, including “summer speakers’ series”

Preferred Qualifications:

• Understanding of, investment in, and passion for justice reform
• Time management and ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously
• Strong writing and communication skills
• Collaboration skills
• Ability to adapt to various environments and take initiative
• Students pursuing a degree in criminal justice, sociology, economics, criminology, public policy, or social work are preferred, but the opportunity is open to all areas of study.

About the Supervisor:

Your supervisor will be Isabel Kennon. Isabel returned as a Program Specialist after serving as a Graduate Intern for ILJP in 2022. Passionate about criminal justice and housing policy, Isabel found a niche in reentry housing. She works to organize and implement projects for the Illinois Reentry Council and supports ILJP's other convenings. Previously, Isabel worked as an analyst with the South Side Housing Data Initiative in Chicago, as a researcher for the Atlantic Council’s Latin American center and as a COVID-19 contact tracer. Isabel also serves on the administrative team for the Abolish Slavery National Network. Isabel has a master’s degree from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, and a bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies and Spanish from Washington University in St. Louis. She is from Nashville.

Eligibility:

• Graduate students
• Domestic and international students

Location, Modality, and Commute:

Office address in the Loop: 1 S. Dearborn Street, Suite 1510, Chicago 60603. Working from the office on Mondays and Thursdays.

Start and End Date:

The Academic Year internships will take place according to the IOP’s timeline, with specific dates and weekly hours to be determined by the employer partner and intern during the interview process:

• Onboarding: November – December 2024
• Intern Work Period: January – May 2025