For those serving long-term sentences in the Illinois prison system, finding a reason to smile is rare.
From 1996 to 2018, the state prison system did not allow incarcerated individuals to take photos. The only pictures taken of us were yearly prison ID photos — mug shots placed on the state prison system website.
This all changed about seven years ago when prison officials started allowing photo shoots during specified visiting hours. As the photo program evolved, some facilities started to allow it even outside of visits.
On June 17, 2024, our new warden changed the photo policy here at Illinois River Correctional Center. Now, people who do not receive regular visits have an opportunity to send a picture to loved ones. For many, this was the first time they were photographed while incarcerated.
Not long after the policy started, I visited a photo shoot in our prison’s gym. Men walked around eager to have their photos taken.
I watched as people posed and smiled for photos in front of two different murals: one a painting of a beach at dusk with a Ferris wheel; the other of Chicago sports teams, including the Bears, Cubs, White Sox and Blackhawks.
“I’ve been locked up for 17 years — my granny gonna love this,” one man who got his photo taken said.
According to the photo program coordinator, she had to occasionally coax smiles out of people while taking photos.
“I have to tell them to stop being too gangster and smile,” she said jokingly.
People can also pose with program certificates, educational degrees or artwork they have created.
“I want to allow people to share their accomplishments with their loved ones,” the photo coordinator said. “It’s vital to help keep a person positive.”
A lot of men in our prison are from the Chicago area, about four hours away from central Illinois, where we are incarcerated. This makes it hard to receive visits on a regular schedule. One man told me he was sending his photo to his mom, who has not been able to visit him in the four years since he arrived.
Another benefit to the photo program is the incentive for good behavior. Individuals must remain infraction-free for at least 90 days to get their picture taken, so the program motivates people to stay out of trouble.
Non-visitation photo shoots are available once a month. The pictures are relatively affordable. People can buy up to three pictures per session for 34 cents per photo.
According to an individual who works at the prison commissary, a lot of people have bought picture vouchers since the program began.
“I never smiled on my [prison] ID pic, but I’m gonna smile in this pic,” one man said. “It’s for my kids.”