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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
ACKNOWLEDGING APRIL AS SECOND CHANCE MONTH
WHEREAS, beginning in 2017, research institutions, community organizations, local and federal government agencies have recognized April as Second Chance Month;
WHEREAS, Second Chance Month is a time to raise awareness about the challenges faced by individuals returning home from incarceration and promote fair chances for these members of our community who have paid their debt to society; and
WHEREAS, the United States has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world where, despite being less than 5% of the world's population, the U.S. accounts for approximately 20% of the world’s prison population; and
WHEREAS, according to the Prison Policy Institute, nearly 2 million people are incarcerated in federal, state and local prisons and jails across the United States; and
WHEREAS, approximately 53,000 Illinois residents are incarcerated in prison or jail; and WHEREAS, stark racial disparities persist in our criminal legal system with Black Americans imprisoned at five times the rate of white Americans; and
WHEREAS, almost 5 million residents in the United States were formally incarcerated in state or federal prisons and at least 79 million people have a criminal record; and
WHEREAS, formally incarcerated individuals face legal and social barriers to attaining employment and fair housing; they experience higher rates of housing and food insecurity, mental, behavioral and physical health issues; and
WHEREAS, the reentry period when individuals are returning home from jail or prison, is a critical time where both risk factors and protective factors impact outcomes for returning residents who can benefit from support as they navigate the challenges associated with reentry; and
WHEREAS, access to services including employment support, housing, health services and legal aid can contribute to successful reentry, mitigate the collateral consequences associated with incarceration and effectively reduce rates of recidivism; and
WHEREAS, policies and investments that support justice impacted residents can help improve outcomes for individuals, families and communities, breaking cycles of incarceration and addressing ongoing impacts of mass incarceration that disproportionally harm Black and Brown communities; and
WHEREAS, people who were formally incarcerated play a critical role in their families and communities and possess insight that allows them to become leaders and change-makers who help break cycles of incarceration for others and build safer, more resilient communities; and
WHEREAS, Cook County recognizes the impact of providing supports and services at the earliest point of contact with the criminal legal system and is working with government and community partners to expand access to services and build a more cohesive ecosystem of support for people with criminal legal system involvement; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Justice Advisory Council (JAC), under the auspices of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, leads Cook County’s reentry policy development; and
WHEREAS the JAC develops and implements innovative reentry programming including No Place To Stay and Cook County Reconnect; and
WHEREAS, No Place To Stay connects justice-involved residents in their pretrial period to supportive housing options in the community, providing over 400 housing insecure residents with a safe and stable place to stay in 2025; and
WHEREAS, Cook County Reconnect, leveraged American Rescue Plan funding provides to provide rental assistance and individualized services, allowing almost 150 Cook County residents to access safe and stable housing that serves as foundation for future success; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, leveraged federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding to serve more than 700 returning residents with career coaching services and job training; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership also leveraged American Rescue Plan funding from the JAC and Bureau of Economic Development (BED) to run the Road Home, which provided comprehensive reentry support beginning pre-release; and
WHEREAS, the Road Home program provides career services and credential training, including subsidized internship opportunities that, upon completion provides participants with the opportunity for full time permanent employment; and
WHEREAS, Cook County remembers the late Cook County Commissioner Dennis Deer, who was a steadfast advocate for second chances and providing reentry services and who, alongside Congressman Danny K. Davis, helped champion the passage of the federal Second Chance Act in 2007; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the more than 5.2 million residents of Cook County, does hereby take this opportunity to acknowledge Second Chance Month, observed throughout April 2025; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Cook County Board of Commissioners and County Government will join partners in 1) promoting awareness of discrimination and legal barriers faced by returning residents and those with criminal records, and 2) striving towards eliminating barriers to successful reentry; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this text be shared during the official proceedings of this Honorable Body in recognition of Second Chance Month.
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