File #: 23-2585    Version: 1 Name: DESIGNATING APRIL AS SECOND CHANCE MONTH
Type: Consent Calendar Resolution Status: Approved
File created: 4/19/2023 In control: Board of Commissioners
On agenda: 4/27/2023 Final action: 4/27/2023
Title: PROPOSED RESOLUTION DESIGNATING APRIL AS SECOND CHANCE MONTH IN COOK COUNTY WHEREAS, redemption and second chances are values of the United States; and WHEREAS, every individual is endowed with human dignity and value; and WHEREAS, millions of citizens of the United States have a criminal record; and WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of individuals return to their communities from Federal and States prisons annually; and WHEREAS, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. proclaimed the month of April 2023 as Second Chance Month; and WHEREAS, Congressman Danny K. Davis IL-7 was the chief sponsor of the 2nd chance act and championing its funding, and WHEREAS, Commissioner Dennis Deer 2nd District served as Co-Chair of the 7th Congressional Districts criminal justice taskforce which initiated the grassroots effort for passage of the Second Chance Act, and WHEREAS, individuals returning from Federal and State prisons have paid their debt for committing crimes but still face significant legal an...
Sponsors: DENNIS DEER, TONI PRECKWINKLE (President), SCOTT R. BRITTON, JOHN P. DALEY, BRIDGET DEGNEN, MONICA GORDON, BRANDON JOHNSON, BILL LOWRY, KEVIN B. MORRISON, MAGGIE TREVOR, FRANK J. AGUILAR, BRIDGET GAINER, DONNA MILLER, STANLEY MOORE, JOSINA MORITA, ANTHONY J. QUEZADA
title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION

DESIGNATING APRIL AS SECOND CHANCE MONTH IN COOK COUNTY

WHEREAS, redemption and second chances are values of the United States; and

WHEREAS, every individual is endowed with human dignity and value; and

WHEREAS, millions of citizens of the United States have a criminal record; and

WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of individuals return to their communities from Federal and States prisons annually; and

WHEREAS, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. proclaimed the month of April 2023 as Second Chance Month; and

WHEREAS, Congressman Danny K. Davis IL-7 was the chief sponsor of the 2nd chance act and championing its funding, and

WHEREAS, Commissioner Dennis Deer 2nd District served as Co-Chair of the 7th Congressional Districts criminal justice taskforce which initiated the grassroots effort for passage of the Second Chance Act, and

WHEREAS, individuals returning from Federal and State prisons have paid their debt for committing crimes but still face significant legal and societal barriers; and

WHEREAS, individuals returning to their communities from Federal and State prisons gaining meaningful employment is one of the most significant predictors of successful re-entry and has been shown to reduce future criminal activity; and

WHEREAS, many individuals who have been incarcerated struggle to find employment because of collateral consequences, which are often not directly related to the offenses the individuals committed or any proven public safety benefit; and

WHEREAS, many states have laws that prohibit an individual with a criminal record from working in certain industries or obtaining professional licenses; and

WHEREAS, in addition to employment, education has also been shown to be significant predictor of successful reentry for individuals returning from Federal and State prisons; and

WHEREAS, an individual who has been convicted of certain crimes is often barred from receiving the financial aid necessary to acquire additional skills a...

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