If you are or were recently in jail or prison, you might be looking for help. You should have received information about state and local agencies that can help. Below are many programs in Illinois that can help you find housing, a job, or other services.

Release from the Illinois Department of Corrections

When you are released from a prison controlled by the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), you receive “gate money.” Gate money is a small amount of cash, or a travel ticket. This is meant to be a small resource to get people released from prison to a safe place where they can live or spend the night.

IDOC will give you either $25 or a bus ticket. In order to receive a bus ticket, you must make a special request for it.

Gate money is only given to those released from a prison controlled by the IDOC. If you are in jail, that is controlled by the county or municipality where the jail is located. Therefore, you will not get gate money when released. However, prisons are run by the state or federal government.

IDOC is the state-operated prison system. IDOC incarcerates felons sentenced by the courts to the state's prison system. It is important to remember that county jails, municipal jails and federal prisons are separate and therefore have different requirements for re-entry.

IDOC has compiled a Reentry Resource Guide for all counties in Illinois.

Whether or not the institution or facility you were in has a reentry program, they must have a reentry specialist that will help you sign up for health care. You should also be provided with info on Illinois identification cards, voter registration, job listings, available housing, and other resources.

Starting January 1, 2024, if, before you were convicted for the offense you are serving time for, you lived in a county with a county jail that has a reentry program, IDOC may move you to the sheriff of that county. This transfer can happen up to 12 months before your release date so that you can take part in the reentry program and requires the approval of the sheriff from that county.

When you are convicted of an offense in Illinois, the judge must enter a judgment requiring you to pay the costs of the prosecution. However, starting on January 1, 2024, if you are incarcerated, you cannot be ordered to pay any outstanding fines, taxes, or costs related to your criminal proceeding during the first 180 days after your release from incarceration. 

Re-entry Illinois 

Re-entry Illinois has free resources for people with criminal records. This website will help you:

• Find a job,
• Get schooling or training,
• Find housing,
• Receive public benefits, and
• With other support services.

They have a broad county-specific list of resources.

Illinois re-entry resources is a statewide database. It is for people with criminal records and has information on:

• Employment,
• Housing,
• Substance abuse,
• Legal help,
• Health, and
• Government programs.

Re-Entry Employment Service Program

The Re-Entry Employment Service Program (RESP) helps people with criminal records find a job.

The program pairs you with an RESP liaison. The liaison will interview you. They then find any hurdles that may come up in your job search. The liaison also helps you sign-up with Illinois JobLink. They will provide you with job referrals. They can also tell you about hiring incentives for potential employers. An employer you like may qualify for these incentives by employing you. Make sure to ask your liaison if this is the case.

RESP also provides job readiness workshops and services.

Safer Foundation

Safer Foundation offers a variety of free services. They help people with criminal records fully rejoin their community. This includes employment services, educational services, and other supportive services. Safer is focused on finding jobs for its clients. They work with any employer in any industry to accomplish that goal.

St. Leonard's Ministry

St. Leonard's Ministry provides an array of programs. They are designed to help people recently released from prison. They aim to help make the transition from prison to success.

The Michael Barlow Center of St. Leonard's Ministry provides:

• Chances to get an education,
• Training programs, and
• Employment advancement.

The Center offers classes in adult literacy and high school preparation. They also have an adult high school program and one-on-one tutoring. The Center offers training for job preparation. The preparations are in areas such as building maintenance and food service. You are referred to a Job Developer after doing one of these programs. The Center's Job Developer will assess your personal skills and matching jobs.

St. Leonard's Ministry provides interim housing and support services. These are for men returning to the community from Illinois prisons. St. Leonard's House provides:

• Personal and group psychological counseling and group activities,
• Programs to promote the development of life skills,
• On-site intensive out-patient substance abuse treatment,
• Addiction counseling and relapse prevention,
• Assistance in connecting with community support services,
• Housing placement assistance,
• Education and employment services, and
• Social and recreational events.

This information can be found at the St. Leonard's House website.

FirstFollowers

FirstFollowers offers support and guidance to formerly imprisoned people. They have a program located at Bethel A.M.E. Church in Champaign, Illinois. It is a community-based organization. It is not faith-based. Services include:

• A safe stigma-free environment,
• Peer mentoring,
• Assistance with employment searches,
• Job readiness training,
• Advocacy for people with felony convictions,
• Family reunification, and
• Service referrals.

FirstFollowers also created Finding Your Way: A Resource Guide to Reentry in Champaign County. 

City of Chicago Ex-Offenders Program

The City of Chicago Ex-Offenders Program helps with criminal records. It is for residents of Chicago. The program offers:

• Job-readiness training,
• Subsidized work experience, and
• Support services.

The site also includes links to news, alerts, and other useful material.

Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program

This program is run by the Illinois Department of Corrections. It teaches useful business skills to inmates. The goal is to help inmates succeed at a job after they are released. Inmates learn business skills. These include budgeting, computer skills, and public speaking. It also offers training in a number of fields, such as automotive technology, cosmetology, print management, and welding. Inmates who finish receive a Certificate of Completion.

The program does not include employment while in jail unless:

• The employment relates to the purpose of the program, and
• You agree in writing to the terms, working conditions, and wages of the job.

Who can participate in the program?

You can participate in the program only if the following are met:

• You are within three years of being released,
• You have not been disciplined within the past year,
• You have a high school diploma or GED,
• You have not been convicted of a major sex offense, child sex offense, or child pornography offense,
• You are not currently in a gang, and
• You are committed to personal change.

How does the program help you after you are released?

The program may help inmates who finished after they are released. Post-release support may include:

• Drafting a resume and cover letter,
• Searching for employment,
• Networking events, and
• Mock interviews.