About Us

Iowa Justice Action Network

MEET THE BOARD

We are a network of citizens from across the state whose purpose is to exchange information and take action to reduce mass incarceration. We first came together in 2015. Issues we are addressing include:

  • Reducing incarceration and increasing treatment for the mentally ill and those addicted to drugs.
  • Reducing or eliminating mandatory minimum sentencing.
  • Expanding alternatives to imprisonment for non-violent offenders.
  • Increasing support for those returning from prison to change lives and reduce recidivism.
  • Seeking alternatives to the War on Drugs.
  • Working to reform the sentence of life without parole with more just implementation practices.

Our Actions

  • Informing state legislators about the issues and urging them to take action.
  • Participating in a Lobby Day during the session.
  • Gathering and exchanging in depth information on issues.
  • Informing the public about the negative impact of mass incarceration on individuals and society.

Our Diverse and Broad Membership

  • Members of non-profit organizations providing services to those involved in the criminal justice system.
  • Professionals working for public correctional facilities and services.
  • Formerly incarcerated persons and their families.
  • Mental Health professionals.
  • Representatives of faith communities.
  • Faculty and students from colleges and universities.
  • Other concerned citizens from many different backgrounds.

Resources

IJAN  helps you to become informed about mass incarceration by providing access to a wide range of resources:

  • National organizations doing high quality research on the topic, much of which challenges prevailing stereotypes and misinformation.
  • Criminal justice data from Iowa.
  • Research on reforms in other states, many of which are far ahead of Iowa in making constructive changes.
  • Narratives by incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people concerning their experiences in the system.

Collaboration

IJAN has formed collaborative relationships with advocacy organizations, including, among others, the League of Women Voters, The Reform Alliance, The Iowa/Nebraska NAACP, The Interfaith Alliance, and Iowa Against the Death Penalty. We are eager to collaborate with other organizations addressing criminal justice reform.

Policy Change

During each year’s session of the Iowa Legislature, IJAN tracks bills that may impact the criminal justice system, either positively or negatively. We then urge members of our network to contact their legislators to let them know our views on these proposals. We also track administrative changes in the system and local issues that may have implications for the whole state.

Education

IJAN sponsors at least one major conference each year on an important topic related to reforming mass incarceration. We also sponsor focused information sessions on particular issues through our Tuesdays with IJAN sessions. Finally, we are available to speak to any group or organization concerning these issues.

501 (c)(3)

We are a 501(c)(3)  non-profit organization. We gratefully accept tax deductible donations. For more information, to contribute, or to become part of our network, please contact us.

Meet Our Board Members

Passionate Board Members with experience in leadership. Our Board includes Professors, Business Leaders, Public Servants and Community Activists.

CONTACT US
Allen Hays

Co-Chair of IJAN

Richard Allen Hays, Jr. is Emeritus Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Northern Iowa. From 1979 to 2013, he served as a Professor of Political Science and from…

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Sue Hutchins

Co-Chair of IJAN

I have been part of IJAN since our very first workshop. I retired form my 35-year career as a Substance Disorder and Family Therapist in 2011 and began my current volunteer career as an activist…

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Christy Hutcheson

Board Member

Christy Hutcheson is a retired Assistant Provost for Research and Sponsored Programs at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). During her career at UNI, she led the University’s research efforts…

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Pam Hays

Board Member

I was a founder of IJAN and have continued to serve on the board, serving as Secretary and Tuesdays with IJAN host. I have especially enjoyed helping to plan our annual conferences….

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Lisa Ambrose

Board Member

Lisa Ambrose, BS, has over 15 years in the Human Services Field. Ambrose worked as an Advocate for about 3 years before starting Amani Community Services in 2014, in both Waterloo and Cedar…

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Doug Marshall

Board Member

Doug Marshall is a certified Offender Workforce Development Specialist. Before retiring from Iowa Workforce Development, he assisted job seekers in Waterloo’s Correctional Centers…

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Our Stance

Learn about our official stance regarding important issues.

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Get in Touch

Reach out with any questions, concerns or collaboration.

CONTACT US

New Members

Become an IJAN Member. IJAN Memberships are free.

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Criminal Justice Reform Through Policy Change. Registered 501(c)(3).

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Allen Board profile

Allen Hays

Co-Chair of IJAN

Richard Allen Hays, Jr. is Emeritus Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Northern Iowa. From 1979 to 2013, he served as a Professor of Political Science and from 1994 to 2013 he served as the Director of the Graduate Program of Public Policy. He holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University and a Masters and PhD from the University of North Carolina. He is the author of two books: The Federal Government and Urban Housing, with SUNY Press, (3rd Edition 2012) and Who Speaks for the Poor? with Routledge Press. From 2000 to 2007, he administered a federal Community Outreach Partnership Center grant, in which university expertise was utilized to assist low and moderate-income neighborhoods in Waterloo. He completed a Fulbright Fellowship at Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2008, and published two articles in the Urban Affairs Review as a result of his research there. He is the recipient of the Ross Nielsen Outstanding Service Award and the Regent’s Award for Faculty Excellence from the University of Northern Iowa. In 2015, he helped form the Iowa Justice Action Network to advocate for criminal justice reform in Iowa. He is also president of the North End Cultural Center, Inc., an organization promoting the arts in the Black community.

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Sue Board profile

Sue Hutchins

Co-Chair of IJAN

I have been part of IJAN since our very first workshop. I retired form my 35-year career as a Substance Disorder and Family Therapist in 2011 and began my current volunteer career as an activist for incarcerated persons and their loved ones. I founded Living Beyond the Bars and am VP of Iowa CURE, which both partner with IJAN in this most important work. I am the author of the 6-book series, Writings from Behind the Bleak Walls of Prison. I am also a member of The Sentencings Project’s Ending Life With Out Parole multiple state committe. Aside from work, my life is full of family, friends and of course, my precious dog, Sugar.

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Christy Board profile

Christy Hutcheson

Board Member

Christy Hutcheson is a retired Assistant Provost for Research and Sponsored Programs at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). During her career at UNI, she led the University’s research efforts and was involved in areas such as sponsored funding, intellectual property, and research administration. She has a background in Economics (BA), Public Administration (MPA), and Educational Leadership (PhD). Throughout her over twenty-two-year tenure at UNI, Christy held various roles, including serving at the Iowa Waste Reduction Center, Business and Community Services, the College of Business Administration, and Research and Sponsored Programs. Through these roles, she personally secured or helped secure more than $35 million in grant or federal appropriation funding from numerous federal and state organizations, as well as foundations.

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Pam Hays Board profile picture

Pam Hays

Co-Chair of IJAN

I was a founder of IJAN and have continued to serve on the board, serving as Secretary and Tuesdays with IJAN host. I have especially enjoyed helping to plan our annual conferences. Growing up in the South in the 50’s and 60’s, and then working for non profits for 30 years, I have been confronted regularly with the evidence of racism and sexism in our society, and the effects it has had on individuals, groups, and institutions. I have tried to share the benefits of my education and experience in ways that work towards having an impact on the mass incarceration of individuals, and especially on the disproportionate representation of black and brown people in the criminal “justice” system.

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Lisa Ambrose

Board Member

Lisa Ambrose, BS, has over 15 years in the Human Services Field. Ambrose has experience in many different settings including nonprofit agencies, the school system, individuals with disabilities and eventually in the domestic violence/sexual assault field.

Ambrose holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Services. Ambrose worked as an Advocate for about 3 years before starting Amani Community Services in 2014, in both Waterloo and Cedar Rapids, IA. Amani Community Services is a domestic violence and sexual assault agency providing innovative services to African Americans across the state of Iowa.

It is her passion to educate and spread the word about culturally specific services within her community, where she has lived all her life. Ambrose is survivor herself and understands the devastating effects domestic violence and sexual assault can have on an individual. In her spare time, Ambrose loves to travel and spend time with her grandchildren.

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Doug Marshall

Board Member

Board Secretary Doug Marshall is a certified Offender Workforce Development Specialist. Before retiring from Iowa Workforce Development, he assisted job seekers in Waterloo’s Correctional Centers and Parole/Probation Office. A native of Cedar Rapids, Doug holds a M.Ed. degree in Adult Education and a B.A. degree in English.