Statement of Principles and Covenant of the Abolition in Illinois Movement (AIM)

We the undersigned, the members of the Abolition in Illinois Movement, pledge support for the following principles, which will guide us in our fight to abolish the death penalty in Illinois:

1. Our ultimate goal is the abolition of the death penalty in Illinois. As volunteers in the abolition movement, we pledge to devote time, energy, and effort to the cause of abolition, until such time as a bill to abolish the death penalty passes the General Assembly, is signed by the Governor, and becomes law.

2. Although our ultimate goal is and remains abolition, we will support any measure which will delay, encumber, prevent, or discourage the judicial murder of any human being. We will support, among other measures, any law which limits the crimes subject to the death penalty, better funds death penalty defense, or raises the standards of proof for seeking a death verdict.

3. Recognizing that, for the foreseeable future, public support for abolition depends upon maintaining sentences of life imprisonment without possibility of parole as the only practical alternative to the death penalty, we pledge to support the current Illinois law providing for life imprisonment. Further, we will support measures which extend or strengthen life imprisonment if such measures are passed in conjunction with the abolition of the death penalty.

4. We believe that the death penalty is morally wrong.

5. We believe that sincere abolitionists can and should seek support for abolition among the victims of murders, and among those in law enforcement who righteously seek to solve crimes and administer just punishment.