Photo of Bretz, Rebecca

Rebecca Bretz

PhD Student

Criminology, Law, and Justice

Pronouns: She/Her

Contact

Building & Room:

BSB 4075D

About

Rebecca (Wilson) Bretz (she/her) is a Community Organizer at the Chicago Torture Justice Center, and has been an organizer in Chicago, and nationally, for the past 8 years surrounding the issues of police murder, immigrant detention, the sex offense registry, parole, and prison conditions. She has also worked in Cook County Jail and Stateville Prison in several educational programs, including a think tank that produced legislation. She was formerly the Lead Organizer of the Coalition to Decarcerate IL, an abolitionist organization fighting for the rights and dignity of currently incarcerated individuals and their loved ones, and the Lead Organizer of Parole IL. She is currently on the board of School of the Americas Watch, an international organization fighting against US militarism and imperialism. Rebecca is currently working on her PhD in Criminology, Law, and Justice at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and her research interests are alternatives to prison in addressing sexual violence, sexual violence prevention, and the sex offense registry.

Education

MA, Loyola University
BS, DePaul University