Criminal Justice Reform

In addition to ending the death penalty in Illinois, Gov. Pat Quinn signed other criminal justice reforms.

The Ban the Box law (Public Act 98-774) prohibits a private employer or employment agency from inquiring about an applicant’s criminal history until the applicant is determined to be qualified for the job. This followed Gov. Quinn’s 2013 administrative order prohibiting state agencies from asking job applicants about their criminal history before beginning to evaluate the individual’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. The idea was to help ex-offenders secure employment and become productive members of society.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Signing Legislation to Help Ensure Fair Hiring Practices Across Illinois.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Establishing More Fair Hiring Process by Issuing “Ban the Box” Order .

To enable some non-violent juvenile offenders to have their records expunged, Governor Quinn signed the Clean Slate law.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Signing “Clean Slate” Juvenile Record Expungement Legislation .

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Pioneering Innovative Approach to Fund New Opportunities for At-Risk Youth.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Signing Two Bills to Benefit Youth.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of how Redeploy Illinois Program Saves State $40 Million .

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Redeploy Illinois Program Diverts Thousands of Youth From Prison System, Saves State $60 Million .

To reduce a backlog of clemency requests dating to 2003, Gov. Quinn acted on 4,928 clemency petitions. He granted 1,795 petitions (36.4%), more than any Governor in Illinois history. One such person was Tyrone Hood, whose murder sentence was commuted by Gov. Quinn after Hood had spent 22 years in prison for a crime he did not commit.

View The New Yorker's article entitled: "Freedom For Tyrone Hood".

View The New Yorker's article entitled: "Did the Chicago police coerce witnesses into pinpointing the wrong man for murder?".

View Chicago Tribune's article entitled: "Man freed by Quinn's clemency action: 'I feel like I can breathe'".

On December 31, 2014, Gov. Quinn issued posthumous pardons for three Illinois abolitionists who were found guilty of working on the Underground Railroad before the Civil War. Dr. Richard Eells of Quincy and Julius and Samuel Willard of Jacksonville were convicted more than 170 years ago based on previous laws in Illinois that prohibited citizens from helping runaway slaves.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Issuing Posthumous Pardons for Three Illinois Abolitionists .

On March 9, 2011, Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation to abolish the death penalty in Illinois.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn's Statement on Senate Bill 3539.