ILLINOIS, USA — Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White has revealed a new program that will provide new state ID cards to prisoners when they're released from incarceration.
White announced the State ID Program for returning residents in a press release published on Wednesday, November 3, detailing information about the program, which had been seeing pilot tests as early as December 2020.
The program provides newly-released inmates with a state ID card upon their exit from prison, giving them an essential tool for integrating back into the community and rebuilding their lives.
Officials say that getting an ID in the post-release period can be difficult, due to important documents often being lost or misplaced, which is a problem that can take many weeks of work from multiple state agencies to fix.
“The State ID Program for Returning Residents gives people who have served their time in prison a necessary tool as they reenter their communities,” said Secretary White. “A state ID card is essential to transition back into society.”
The program's applicants will work with the Illinois Department of Corrections to gather and maintain important documents needed for the ID, and then IDOC handles further elements like the photograph and processing, after which, the inmate will be given their ID when they are released from their facility.
Over the course of its early testing period, the program has been rolled out to 18 Department of Corrections facilities so far, and that number is expected to increase to 27 by April 2022.
The Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center is one of the facilities participating in the program.
"A state ID is really like a passport, it's a way to get access to jobs, to healthcare, to education, to housing," Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said while touring the Kewanee facility. "Too many people were leaving our Department of Corrections without just that one small card that could give them access to so many opportunities."
Illinois' program was modeled after a similar successful initiative created by the Michigan Departments of State and Corrections in June 2020.
“A successful justice system is one that makes sure those who leave it are equipped to make the most of their second chance,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “A job opportunity, a roof over your head, stability – these fundamentals are so much easier to secure with a state ID card in hand. I applaud my incredible wife, First Lady MK Pritzker, Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton and Secretary of State Jesse White for their work to ensure returning residents have what they need to put their best foot forward.”
As of October 2021, 346 state ID cards have been processed,.
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