Reentry
Effective reentry programming should begin as soon as a person enters prison and should be defined and shaped by those who have been incarcerated. The Illinois Justice Project (ILJP) and its partners are working to eliminate systemic barriers for returning residents and ensure people have the support needed to reach their goals and address the trauma of incarceration.
Illinois Reentry Housing Demonstration Program
During the immediate crisis brought on by COVID-19, when there was an effort to reduce the state prison population, ILJP along with Safer Foundation and TASC (Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities) received support from local foundations to create a demonstration program to support people seeking housing post-release, The funding allowed for evaluation of whether the anecdotal examples about barriers to successful reentry could be documented and overcome. This Reentry Housing Demonstration Program (RHDP) ran from June 2020 through November 2022. The goal was to provide housing and other support—such as food, clothing, cell phones, job placement and cash for utility bills—to 30 to 45 people over 24 months during COVID-19. Ultimately, 122 individuals were served through the RHDP during a 29-month period.
The evaluation showed that returning residents who participated in the RHDP pilot had a recidivism rate that was about a third lower than a comparison group of individuals released from prison at roughly the same time. The success of the program was attributed in part to the use of “reentry navigators,” or caseworkers, who offered sustained assistance and guidance to participants as they sought employment and other supports post-incarceration. The pilot also supported the work of a former parole officer who served as a liaison with the Illinois Department of Corrections Parole Division, as to way to reduce participants’ returns to prison.
The experience gained by ILJP, Safer Foundation and TASC in carrying out this pilot project and its outcomes has helped to inform increased interest and participation in reentry planning by the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) and other state agencies. Further, the lessons learned in the pilot helped IDOC determine the placement of Correctional Assessment Specialists in parole offices to address the needs of individuals on Mandatory Supervised Release (MSR).
The evaluation of the housing demonstration was conducted by researchers at Loyola University Chicago and Smart Policy Works. Funding was provided by the Chicago Community Trust, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, the Polk Bros. Foundation, the Comer Family Foundation, the Robert R. McCormick Foundation and an anonymous donor.
“This work is about addressing the leading civil rights issue of our time – reentry. The fundamental question for us is, what are we going to do to restore the humanity and dignity, eliminate obstacles to reentry, and to create equitable opportunities and supports for the people and communities most impacted by mass incarceration?”
– ILJP Director Ahmadou Dramé
97% of people incarcerated in Illinois will eventually be released. Sustained and robust rehabilitation and reentry opportunities must be available to encourage a successful reintegration after incarceration and those with direct experience of the system should be in policy positions to assure this happens.
Illinois Reentry Council
The Illinois Reentry Council (IRC) was founded in 2021 as an outgrowth of the Reentry Housing Task Force. Today the IRC is staffed by ILJP and includes a group of more than 200 members working to build a supportive, streamlined, and comprehensive reentry system for everyone leaving incarceration in Illinois. Members include policymakers, advocates, formerly-incarcerated people, legislators, state and local government representatives, philanthropic organizations, academics, researchers, service, housing, and healthcare providers, community organizations and many more people invested in reentry. After writing a Strategic Plan in 2022, the IRC is working to put it into action, which is reflected in its annual reports. Through its work, the IRC is also challenging the misperceptions that exist about people who have been incarcerated.
Government Positions for Directly Impacted People
Through generous philanthropic support, ILJP has been able to assist in creating government positions in the state of Illinois that are dedicated to reentry policy. This includes helping to secure funding for the Director of Reentry at the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Reentry Fellow at the Lieutenant Governor’s Justice, Equity, and Opportunity Initiative. All together there are now six state government positions held by formerly incarcerated people that are dedicated to development and implementation of reentry policy. In addition, ILJP has supported the creation of the City of Chicago’s Director of Reentry position, and continues to support that office. ILJP appreciates the guidance of these leaders in crafting and participating in ILJP reentry discussions.
Re-Entry Housing Task Force
In response to growing interest in reentry but an absence of dialogue on how to provide housing for returning residents, ILJP partnered with the Metropolitan Planning Council in 2017 to convene the Re-Entry Housing Task Force. The Task force brought attention and focus to the need for appropriate support and stable housing for returning residents in its 2019 report, Reentry Housing Issues in Illinois. The report recommendations included strengthening pre-release reentry programming and supporting post-prison transition with expanded housing options. The report’s research conclusions emphasized the interconnection among multiple pathways for success and placed a high priority on employment opportunity. The work of this task force led to the creation of the Illinois Reentry Council, which continues to advocate for these kinds of reforms.
Healing Beyond Harm Apology Letter Bank
ILJP supported Illinois’ creation of an apology letter bank, a restorative justice practice formed on the belief that justice cannot be defined simply or even primarily by punishment or incarceration. In this project, those who have been incarcerated for crimes against others are invited to write a letter to the person they victimized, opening the opportunity to begin a dialogue of forgiveness and healing. ILJP supported discussions of the concept, as it reflects ILJP’s firm belief that reducing incarceration is only part of a multifaceted understanding of justice. Based on a South African model developed during Reconciliation, Healing Beyond Harm is a multi-agency collaboration led by the Lieutenant Governor’s Justice Equity and Opportunity Initiative that includes the Prisoner Review Board (PRB), the Illinois Department of Corrections, the Adler Institute, the Illinois Attorney General and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Risk Assets and Needs Assessment (RANA)
ILJP has advocated for the full implementation and funding of the Risk Assets and Needs Assessment (RANA) instrument used by IDOC.
The concept of the RANA was incorporated into Illinois law in 2009 to ensure that every incarcerated person would be assessed for their strengths to determine the best treatment plans and necessary supports for community reintegration. It is intended to ensure people receive services based on their assets, rather than their risks and needs. The emphasis on assets is intended to encourage the criminal justice system to build on the strengths of those sent to IDOC in order to make them successful community members when released.
There are more than 29,000 people in Illinois prisons and 225,000 under some sort of supervision in a criminal legal system that is lacking in effective and sustained reentry supports.
Narrative Change
ILJP, including through the Illinois Reentry Council, works to spotlight the systemic barriers impeding the success of returning residents, as well as solutions. Through conversations with partners and outreach to the media, ILJP supports increased storytelling and coverage that is directly informed by returning residents.
Resources
EJP’s Reentry Resource Program publishes three reentry guides.
This site provides information on programs, processes, and resources available to returning residents and their families that may support a successful re-entry.