Chicago Beyond announces partnership with three state prison systems to transform correctional practices

Last week, Chicago Beyond, a national philanthropic organization that addresses systemic inequity by backing solutions led by people closest to the issues, announced a partnership with the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry; the Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; and the Vermont Department of Corrections to introduce Holistic Safety measures across their state facilities. Chicago Beyond is also now making the second edition of its Holistic Safety best practices guide, Do I Have the Right to Feel Safe?, available to policymakers and executive leadership at all correctional systems across the country.

Holistic Safety means creating the conditions for all community members – inside and outside of correctional walls – to be and feel safe. Chicago Beyond, in partnership with JustLeadershipUSA and One Voice United, is leading the effort by driving transformation in corrections practices nationwide that help address urgent health and safety concerns in American communities. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy underscored the importance of tackling these challenges in a 2023 report that declared social isolation and loneliness a national epidemic. Research shows that loneliness and a lack of social connection increases the risk for premature death by more than 25%. These issues are particularly acute in U.S. jails and prisons where, by design and policy, incarcerated people and staff are isolated from each other and deprived of essential resources they need to be healthier and safer.

The correctional departments in Arizona, Hawaii, and Vermont are shifting correctional paradigms by leveraging Chicago Beyond’s Holistic Safety Framework and corresponding policy recommendations. Through their partnership with Chicago Beyond, these three state systems are demonstrating what successful implementation of Holistic Safety practices looks like in real time. Facilities across these states have begun adopting a variety of measures that improve the health and safety of staff and people incarcerated.

Building on the partnership with Arizona, Hawaii, and Vermont, and its ongoing Holistic Safety Workshop series, Chicago Beyond is also hosting its first-ever National Justice Convening, scheduled for October 21-22, 2024, in Chicago. This invitation-only event will bring together correctional administrators, staff, union leaders, and people who are formerly incarcerated to engage in a national conversation on Holistic Safety in corrections. The convening aims to forge a collective pathway forward, leveraging the insights and experiences of diverse stakeholders to advance the implementation of the Holistic Safety Framework across the country.

Read the full announcement at ChicagoBeyond.org.