Released from prison with nowhere to go | Opinion

Since retiring from a career in state government I’ve enjoyed freelance writing about an eclectic range of topics, often focused on museums and cultural organizations, natural resources and the environment, health and fitness, community organizations, interesting people and local events.  It has become my continuing education and has also inspired me to want to learn more about issues outside my typical wheelhouse.

Through my husband Randy Witter’s volunteer work on behalf of the Illinois Innocence Project, I’ve heard many tragic stories about people wrongfully convicted and the circumstances that led to their incarceration.  And, from a mentor I worked with on Governor Jim Thompson’s staff, I’ve become much more aware of the need for criminal justice reform to decrease prison recidivism and make the legal system more equitable. In today’s world, as we witness people whose lives are impacted by government policies in many ways, it’s incumbent on all of us to be better informed citizens about issues that affect our communities. 

Every year 20,000 people are released from Illinois state prisons, returning to their communities.  Forty-five percent are unemployed for at least three years, and nearly 40% return to prison within three years. Research has demonstrated that stable housing reduces the likelihood of returning to prison and is far less expensive than reincarcerating a person. But, people with arrest and conviction records face many barriers to accessing stable housing.

The Home for Good coalition includes dozens of statewide housing, reentry and community violence intervention organizations working to address this issue. Home for Good recognizes that housing availability, especially for those with criminal records, is the literal foundation needed to stabilize both individuals and communities. They are asking the legislature to provide significant funding through the Illinois Housing Development Authority and Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority to increase availability of affordable housing, provide subsidized housing, connect people with services and provide training and technical assistance.  Although this is a big ask at a time of intense competition for state funds, it would be a positive return on investment through decreases in recidivism.

The Home for Good coalition is planning a lobby day at the State Capitol on April 29 to rally support for HB 3162, sponsored by Rep. Maurice West, and SB 2403, sponsored by Senator Willie Preston. The first step is to raise public awareness.

Now more than ever, we each need to step out of our comfort zone and take time to learn more about our history and the complicated issues we continue to face in our society.  Museums help us do that. Recently I visited the Legacy Sites in Montgomery, Alabama created by the Equal Justice Initiative, which was founded by Bryan Stevenson. The museum, memorial and sculpture park are extraordinary, and powerful places that tell the story of slavery in America and its legacy – from the slave trade, to the era of Jim Crow and racial terror lynchings, to our current mass incarceration crisis.  By offering these unique spaces for people to gather, learn and reflect on our history and its legacy, the Equal Justice Initiative hopes to foster a new era of truth and justice in America. This recent experience in Montgomery helped me to see that the Home for Good initiative can contribute to that goal. For more information, go to https://homeforgoodillinois.com/.

Karen Ackerman Witter retired from a 35-year career in state government. She is a former associate director of the Illinois State Museum and was a natural resources policy advisor to Governor James R. Thompson.  Through freelance writing and volunteer service her goal is to connect people, organizations and ideas to achieve greater results.