Meet Elbonie…

I would have never thought in a million years I’d give a huge chunk of my life to the carceral system.

Elbonie, 41

Incarcerated: 23 years

Housed: Logan Correctional Center, Lincoln, Illinois

I would have never thought in a million years I’d give a huge chunk of my life to the carceral system. Entering the prison system at 18 was difficult. I wasn’t given instructions on how to behave or adapt to the rules and regulations of the institution, which oppressed my free spirit and led me to multiple trips to segregation. Even though I wasn’t positively guided through my new lifestyle, I eventually found my footing. I finally realized what was important to me and what should be important to the institution: “Rehabilitation.” Education became my priority instead of working on a prison assignment. I don’t receive “good time credit” for going to school or additional time off my sentence for any extra classes or work assignments I participate in. I focused on bettering myself because it is the only thing that will help me be successful and not recidivate upon my release, with all that I’ve accomplished, which includes but isn’t limited to an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts and becoming an undergraduate at a top ten university. Northwestern, my compassion for communication was denied in 2023 by J.B. Pritzker. At what cost can a person in Illinois present change? What does holding a person accountable mean in the criminal justice system? When will enough be enough?