Marshan Allen

Before joining Represent Justice, Marshan has been employed as a Research and Policy Fellow with Fair and Just Prosecution (FJP), the Policy Director for the Restore Justice Foundation (RJ), and a Starbucks Barista and Supervisor.

He received a sentence of life-without-parole for his minor role in an offense that occurred when he was 15 years of age but was released after almost 25 years because of the US Supreme Court’s decision in Miller vs Alabama. Since his release in 2016, Marshan has become staunch advocate for criminal justice reform and has received numerous awards and recognitions for his advocacy work.

In 2018, the Illinois Judges Association presented Marshan with the Recognition of Excellence in Outreach Award, for participating in Your Future, Your Choice, a program designed to teach school-aged children about aspects of the law that they often find themselves in conflict with. In 2019, Marshan received the Liberty Bell Award  from the Chicago Bar Association and the Grace Warren Award from the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY).

He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Restore Justice Foundation (RJ) and the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY) and is a member of ICAN (Incarcerated Children’s Advocacy Network). In 2020, he was appointed by the Governor of Illinois to the Juvenile Justice Commission (IJJC).

In 2006, Marshan assisted the Illinois State Bar Association with a revision of Post-Trial Remedies: A Handbook for Illinois’ Prisoners. He has earned certificates in paralegal studies, business management, computer technology, and restorative justice. He also holds an associate degree from Lake Land College, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and a bachelor’s degree in Justice Policy & Advocacy from Northeastern Illinois University