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RAUNER,
LAWMAKERS PUSH FOR IDS FOR EX-OFFENDERS
Illinois Policy Institute
Gov. Bruce Rauner and a bipartisan group of
lawmakers are supporting SB 3368, which would issue IDs to ex-offenders
immediately upon release from prison, easing their transition to
post-prison life and employment.
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 When some former offenders complete their sentences and exit prison, they’re
missing one important thing: an ID. The lack of formal identification can be a
stumbling block for ex-offenders, as providing an ID is essential in many
aspects of life, such as starting a new job and signing an apartment lease.
Now, Gov. Bruce Rauner and Republican and Democratic lawmakers are renewing a
push to issue IDs to ex-offenders immediately upon release from prison to remove
obstacles to obtaining legal work and securing housing.
Senate Bill 3368, sponsored by St. Charles Republican state Sen. Karen
McConnaughay and Chicago Democratic state Sen. Kwame Raoul, among others, would
issue a state ID to an inmate without valid identification upon release from
state prison or mandatory supervised release (parole). If the bill passes, an
inmate who still has a birth certificate, Social Security card and proof of
address can receive a state ID immediately. If not, the ex-offender will receive
a temporary ID from the correctional institution, which can be exchanged at a
local Department of Motor Vehicles office for a state identification card within
90 days, at no cost to the ex-offender.
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 This sounds like a modest measure, but it could make a big
difference. Many offenders no longer have their original
identification after serving a prison term. Sometimes, the IDs they
do have may have expired during their prison term. Others may not
have had anyone to keep their birth certificates or other
identifying information for them while they served their time. But
federal law mandates that official identification is needed to find
legal work in the United States. IDs are also necessary for signing
leases, opening bank accounts, travel and other activities necessary
for day-to-day life.
National data suggest as many as 60 to 75 percent of ex-offenders
are still unemployed a year after release from prison. That’s part
of the reason 48 percent of Illinois ex-offenders turn back to crime
within three years of their release. But a Safer Foundation study
found this dropped dramatically – to just 16 percent – for those who
went through a training program and kept jobs for at least 30 days.
The fewer barriers for transition to post-prison life and
employment, the more likely it is that ex-offenders will be able to
stay out of crime and become productive members of their
communities. Making sure ex-offenders have the identification they
need to start their post-prison lives is a good step in this
direction.
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