150 N. Michigan Ave.
Suite 600
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 201-9740
inquiry@aclu-il.org (email)
312-201-9760 (fax)
Serves: IL
Focus area/description: The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois is a non-profit, non-partisan organization, dedicated to protecting freedom, liberty, equality and justice for all within the United States. The ACLU accomplishes its goals through litigation, lobbying and education programs. The ACLU-IL advocates on behalf of children in the troubled Illinois juvenile justice system, as well as adults in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The ACLU-IL does not accept walk-ins or appointments. Please contact the Intake Department via mail, phone, fax, or email.
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois confirmed this listing on July 10, 2024.
The Jailhouse Lawyers Manual is a free-to-print guide to legal rights and procedures designed for people in prison. It contains nine sections designed to help incarcerated people learn about their rights, file lawsuits in both state and federal court, attack their conviction or sentence, and address the conditions of their imprisonment. It also contains information about the rights of incarcerated people related to health, safety, religious freedom, and more. We suggest accessing the online version of the manual and mailing the relevant chapters to your incarcerated loved one.
The Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook is a free resource for people in prison who want to file a federal lawsuit addressing poor conditions in prison or abuse by prison staff. This guide will not help challenge convictions or sentences or provide guidance on actions in state courts. It also has 14 appendices that provide sample complaints, legal forms, and guidance on how to reach out to journalists, among other topics. You can download relevant chapters of the handbook and mail them to your incarcerated loved one or request to have a copy mailed to them.