The John Howard Association of Illinois relies on volunteers to complete its mission. The largest number of our volunteers participate in our citizen visiting program. With volunteers on almost all visits, we regularly inspects jails, prisons and juvenile facilities, talk to inmates while doing so, and report our observations and recommendations to corrections officials and the public. Volunteers find the experience rewarding because of the role they play, as citizen observers, in assuring that corrections operations and conditions are fair, humane and safe. Citizen volunteers are among the few non-corrections professionals who see behind the walls of our jails, prisons and juvenile facilities.
Volunteers from all walks of life are welcome to participate in citizen visits. Many of our Board members are volunteers. We have benefited from the involvement of clergy, business persons, medical and mental health professionals, academics, ex-offenders, and many others. We particularly welcome participation by staff and volunteers from interested civic and religious organizations. Most volunteers are from the Chicago area, but we have volunteers from other parts of the state. We have started to work closely with a group of volunteers in the Champaign-Urbana area and will seek to develop a relationship with similar groups downstate and elsewhere in order to expand our reach and increase efficiency.
To view our schedule of visits and sign up to join visits, go to our Citizen Visitation Schedule and Response page.
A map of Illinois corrections facilities can be found here.
We also welcome experienced volunteers to help in our office, particularly when we prepare for special events such as our Annual Meeting. Volunteers assist with inmate mail as part of the PAIR project. Interested persons are invited to call Teena Purdiman, Office Manager, at 312-782-1901 or email tpurdiman@john-howard.org.
We seek able students and student interns to assist us in the office and to engage in research and writing projects under the direction of staff. Students interested in internships or volunteer work at the John Howard Association of Illinois should refer to our web page, “Current Information about the Opportunities Available to Students.” If you are a volunteer or otherwise want to find out our visiting schedule, go to schedules page.
More about volunteering to participate in citizen visits:
Volunteers for citizen visits must be at least 17 years of age. Volunteers for the John Howard Association of Illinois program of citizen visits should be willing to visit institutions on a regular basis. We recommend at least three in the first year and at least two a year thereafter, and we encourage more frequent visiting, as experience and return visits increase the value to both the volunteer and to the John Howard Association. A person who wants to visit a prison only once or twice may chose to join tours offered directly by various jails and the Illinois Department of Corrections at some institutions, which have value but do not afford the access given official John Howard Association of Illinois visits.
Volunteers for citizen visits are required to observe all rules and regulations established by the agencies and facilities visited as well as those established by the John Howard Association of Illinois. We ask that volunteers prepare in advance from materials the John Howard Association of Illinois may provide, and that they take notes during visits which can be shared with other visitors and the John Howard Association staff.
Volunteers for citizen visits must (1) submit a completed volunteer application form, and (2) have a personal interview with a John Howard Association staff person. Depending on background and expertise, prospective volunteers may be asked to participate in a training session. Volunteers must also pass a background check consisting of a review of criminal history conducted by the Illinois Department of Corrections. This process may take two to six weeks.
A copy of the Rules for Visiting Correctional Facilities, a Volunteer Application in Adobe Acrobat, and a Volunteer Application in Microsoft Word which can easily be submitted by email, are available on this web site.
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