Corinne Kannenberg

Restore Justice is the only policy organization in Illinois specifically working to address issues faced by those serving life or de-facto life sentences. It advocates for fairness, humanity, and compassion throughout the Illinois carceral system, with a primary focus on those affected by extreme sentences imposed in their youth. Restore Justice has helped pass a range of legislation, including the Youthful Parole Law, which created the first new opportunities for parole in Illinois since the state abolished parole-for-release in 1978; a measure that moved some children away from mandatory minimums and instituted judicial discrepancy; and bills that expanded and protected the right to in-person visits for people who are incarcerated. The Policy and Communications Associate will work with the Executive Director, Policy Director, and Communications Manager to produce an in-depth report about juvenile life without parole sentences in Illinois. They will interview people who had or have juvenile life without parole sentences, talk with experts about these sentences, research the history of such sentences, and compare Illinois’s laws to those in other states.