 Not much is going right in Illinois.
It’s home to the worst population loss in the Midwest, the worst employment
recovery in the Midwest, the worst manufacturing climate in the Midwest, the
worst credit rating in the nation and the highest property taxes to boot.
It’s not pretty. And solutions to those problems can appear distant.
But in the Chicago suburb of Wheaton, a success story is emerging. And it’s
emblematic of one bright spot in the state’s dark political climate: criminal
justice reform.
criminal justice reform
While not as widely discussed as pensions or payrolls, Illinoisans returning to
prison is a serious crisis. Nearly 50 percent of ex-offenders end up behind bars
again within three years of their release. This cycle of recidivism threatens
public safety, wastes human potential and eats up scarce state resources that
could be better spent elsewhere.
One of the biggest drivers of this problem is joblessness.
While Illinois has been terrible at fostering a strong jobs climate for
residents without criminal records, the statistics on employment among the
state’s ex-offenders are shocking. Between 60 and 75 percent of ex-offenders are
unemployed a year after release from prison.
Thank goodness for Pete Leonard.
Founder of Second Chance Coffee Company in Wheaton, Leonard has employed 35
ex-offenders since 2009. The mission of his business is to provide opportunities
for “post-prison people.” And Second Chance is just that, a business.
Leonard refuses to take government money or tax credits for his work, and he
wants his product to speak for itself.
“We only roast and sell the highest-quality coffee you can get, because other
employers need to see that,” Leonard said.
“People with a felony conviction are unfortunately perceived by society as being
in the bottom 1 percent. They are disregarded. They’re seen as only being
capable of doing bad things, or poor-quality things.”
Leonard started roasting coffee beans with his Weber grill, but later invented
his own roasting machine used daily by his employees. Leonard plans to scale the
business to more than 70 communities across the U.S. in the coming years.
What’s the impact of employment for those ex-offenders?
[to top of second column] |
 “It’s immeasurable,” Leonard said.
“When people come here looking for work, they are so used to
rejection and dejection that even having someone willing to talk to
them is a shock,” he said.
Unfortunately, state policy often reflects this attitude. By law,
at least 118 professional licenses can or must be denied to
individuals with a criminal record in Illinois. Individuals who have
proved rehabilitation and served their time can find their debt to
society is never fully paid.
But a bipartisan movement in Springfield is changing that.
In August, Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law three criminal justice
reform bills that will help put more ex-offenders on a path to
success.
One bill prohibits the state from denying licenses to ex-offenders
who want to become barbers, cosmetologists, hair braiders, nail
technicians and more – unless their crime was directly related to
the profession in question.
Another reform bill will allow ex-offenders with certain drug
offenses to apply for employment with a park district seven years
after completing a prison sentence or probation. And finally,
Rauner’s signature on Senate Bill 42 ensured that certain
ex-offenders will no longer be barred from seeking licensure to
become health care professionals.
The governor’s actions reflected backing from Illinoisans of all
political stripes.
A recent Illinois Policy Institute-commissioned poll of 500 Illinois
registered voters showed Democrats, Republicans and Independents all
strongly support granting occupational licenses to qualified
individuals who have successfully completed their prison sentences
and parole.
But to ensure fewer Illinoisans carry the debilitating scarlet
letter of a criminal record, more must be done.
Expanding access to record sealing – where, with few exceptions,
only law enforcement may access a person’s criminal record – and
expungement, where that record is wiped clean – is one crucial path
forward.
“For someone with a felony conviction, they are asked to write the
worst thing they’ve ever done on a placard, turn and face their
neighbors,” Leonard said.
“If someone has paid their dues and done the time, then why do we
continue to hold it over their head?”
Click here to respond to the editor about this article
|
