TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

TOGETHER, WE CAN DRIVE CHANGE.

>>> IN ILLINOIS, THE CHANCES OF INCARCERATED PERSON WILL RETURN TO PRISON WITHIN THREE YEARS IS HIGH.

42% OF THOSE RELEASED FROM PRISON IN ILLINOIS WERE CONVICTED OF ANOTHER CRIME .

THE SAME ANALYSIS FOUND THE AVERAGE COST ASSOCIATED WITH RECIDIVISM IS $52,000, COSTING THE STATE $13 BILLION OVER FIVE YEARS , AND, ONE QUARTER ARE COMMITTED ON TECHNICAL VIOLATIONS, LIKE MISSING CURFEW.

NOW, THERE ARE NEW POLICIES AIMED AT SUPPORTING PEOPLE IN THEIR RETURN TO THEIR COMMUNITY.

>> EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE TO ACHIEVE THE BEST.

THESE ARE MORE THAN JUST TRAININGS AND CASE MANAGEMENT.

WE BELIEVE THAT RESIDENCE CAN SEE POTENTIAL IN US , AS WELL, AND IT'S TIME THAT WE PAY THAT FORWARD AND GIVE THEM THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THEY NEED.

>> THIS INITIATIVE EVALUATES LIFE AFTER PRISON.

WE WILL TALK ABOUT HOW TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM.

KEVIN BROWN, DIRECTOR OF POLICY , MARLON TAKEN , AT READY CHICAGO, AND THE DIRECTOR OF RE-ENTRY .

THANKS FOR TALKING WITH US ABOUT THIS.

SO, WE'VE HEARD, AND I KNOW YOU'RE NOT A BIG FAN OF THE WORD RECIDIVISM , WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHAT A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE THIS IS, AND THERE ARE A COUPLE DIFFERENT REASONS ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.

>> SO, WE ARE ASKING WHAT CAUSES AN INDIVIDUAL TO DO THE SPEED >> WHY THEY SENT BACK TO PRISON?

>> WHEN SOMEONE COMES HOME, AS OPPOSED TO BEING SET UP FOR SUCCESS , YOU MAY HAVE THIS LIST OF ALL THE THINGS YOU CAN'T DO.

AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU SHOULD GO TO GET THE SERVICES THAT YOU NEED.

I THINK THAT WHENEVER AN INDIVIDUAL IS RELEASED AND HAS THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM , THEY NEED A NETWORK OF INDIVIDUALS TO SUPPORT THEM AND GIVE THEM THE PROPER RESOURCES , TO MAKE SURE, OR ENSURE .

IT'S A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE, COMING HOME, FIRST OF ALL.

THE JOB THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD GET, OR HOUSING OR HEALTHCARE IS NOT READILY AVAILABLE.

THAT COULD CAUSE AN INDIVIDUAL TO BE IN A DESPERATE SITUATION , WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING FOR YOUR FAMILY.

THESE ARE ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT COULD CAUSE THIS.

>> HOW MUCH IS RECIDIVISM AN ISSUE FOR THOSE COMMITTING VIOLENT OFFENSES?

>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IT THAT WAY , THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE OUT HERE AND IN ACTUALITY, THESE ARE CITIZENS TRYING TO COME BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, RELAYING.

>> USED SAY THAT THIS IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTE IN FACTOR, HOUSING.

>> OFTEN TIMES, WITH A CONVICTION RECORD , THERE'S DISCRIMINATION AS THEY GO TO APPLY FOR HOUSING.

THERE ARE VARIETY OF BARRIERS .

ESSENTIALLY , THIS IS PROBABLY THE LARGEST COMPONENT AND THAT CAN CREATE THOSE BARRIERS.

>> AND THEY END UP STAYING WITH FAMILY , WHERE FAMILY MEMBERS ARE RELUCTANT .

HOW MUCH OF A CHALLENGE IS THIS?

>> IT'S A LACK OF AFFORDABILITY THAT BECOMES AN ISSUE.

TO GET THE DOWN PAYMENT , AND OFTEN TIMES , THERE ARE ISSUES RELATED TO HAVING TO SUSTAIN YOURSELF.

>> EMPLOYMENT IS OBVIOUSLY A BIG ONE .

HOW CAN WE HELP RETURNING RESIDENTS GET BACK TO WORK?

>> WELL, TODAY, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST FORWARD LEADING NATIONAL POLICIES TODAY, WHICH THE CITY HAS A FIVE-YEAR LOOK BACK AS INDIVIDUALS CAN APPLY FOR A JOB AND NOT BE DENIED BASED OFF OF BACKGROUND.

ALSO, THAT INDIVIDUAL ASSESS AND , YOU KNOW, HELPS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE NOT DENIED BASED ON YOUR BACKGROUND.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES HELPS WITH THAT AND WILL HELP GET YOU THAT GROUND.

AND IT WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO GO TO THAT ASSESSMENT ARE HIRED.

>> SO WHAT DO WE KNOW THAT WHAT DOES WORK?

>> WHAT WE DO KNOW IS GETTING AN INDIVIDUAL TO LOOK AT HOW THEY PARTICIPATE IN CERTAIN BEHAVIORS FOR THAT PREVENTION, PRE-AND POST.

THAT ALLOWS THEM TO REALLY LEARN HOW THEY GOT IN THEIR AND HOW TO ACCLIMATE AFTER THEY GET OUT, WHICH CAN BE REALLY HELPFUL.

>> KEVIN BROWN, WHAT YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT SOME FOLKS ARE JUST HABITUAL OFFENDERS ?

DO YOU MAINTAIN THAT ALL OF US SHOULD CARE ABOUT RE-ENTRY?

>> THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT WE DON'T.

80% OF THE INDIVIDUALS DON'T HAVE A FELONY.

SO, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE AS THEY TALK ABOUT INDIVIDUALS WHO MIGHT REOFFEND, SO TO SPEAK.

WHEN WE PROVIDE SUPPORT OF RE-ENTRY SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE AS WE AIM TO GET RESOURCES THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR ALL.

THIS IS HOW WE CREATE THAT COMMUNITY.

THIS PROMOTES FAITH IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT, WITH RECIDIVISM.

>> WHAT ROLE DO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE?

>> WELL, GOVERNMENT HAS A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE RESOURCES , AND, IF WE ARE NOT PROVIDING THIS TO INDIVIDUALS COMING BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THEY ARE SET UP FOR SUCCESS , IF THEY ARE NOT ACCESSING THESE SERVICES AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THEM, WE NEED TO RETHINK HOW WE ARE PROVIDING THEM.

>> THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE TO LEAVE IT.

MY THANKS .

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.