Re-integration: Barriers for the Formerly Incarcerated in Chicago

Abstract

Illinois has seen a rise in the prison population and an increase in inmates released each year. In 2020, the office of Mayor Lightfoot reported, more than 21,000 people returning to Chicago after being released from prison (City of Chicago,2020). Unfortunately, many barriers exist in the State of Illinois, particularly in the City of Chicago, making it difficult for formerly incarcerated people to reintegrate into society successfully. The formerly incarcerated are often faced with economic and social obstacles. The barriers that exist make it likely for formerly incarcerated people to get back into the criminal justice system. While access to employment is a pivotal step for returning citizens, it remains a critical barrier. Employers often hesitate to hire individuals with a criminal background, leaving a burden on the returning individual. Criminal background checks are a mechanism through which employers access information about the criminal histories of applicants. It constitutes an indirect means of gauging employer’s disinclination to hiring ex-offenders. There are some opportunities and remedies available in the city of Chicago: such as transitional job programs, work services projects, and expungement projects to address the issue of successful reintegration. However, it is often unclear how individuals may access the existing stratagem. The existing restorative measures are insufficient and inadequate in tackling the substantial issues that surround re-entry programs. Several State Representatives, in Illinois, through their bill introduction, seek to (re)address the barriers that exist. Through their bill introductions, to the Illinois 101st General Assembly, it is evident that re-entry resources are not sufficient when it comes to addressing the existential barriers.