Pilot Program Will Provide State IDs To Released Cook County Inmates

CHICAGO — For Illinois residents looking to make a fresh start after being released from prison, overcoming roadblocks to establishing a life from behind bars can be difficult, state officials acknowledge.

But starting Monday, released prisoners will have access to a state-issued identification card thanks to a first-of-its-kind collaboration between Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart and Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias.

The two officials announced a pilot program that issues state IDs to people who have been incarcerated and that they hope will be “transformative” for those leaving prison and jail facilities across the state.

Giannoulias said at a news conference that providing ex-offenders with “essential resources” like a state-issued ID will likely increase their chances to successfully re-enter society, become self-sufficient, and rebuild their lives.

“The incarceration system can act like a trap — once you’re in, it’s incredibly hard to get out even after being released,” Giannoulias said at the news conference.

Giannoulias said that with a state-issued ID, former offenders will likely have better opportunities to find housing, obtain a job, and open a bank account as well as finding reliable transportation. Dart said at the news conference on Monday that not having a state ID becomes an "artificial hurdle" for ex-offenders trying to rebuild their lives after being released.

Dart called the initiative a "game-changer" that will affect tens of thousands of people each year. Officials said that the state will not charge former offenders for the state ID card because they do not want the price of the ID card to keep them from obtaining one.

The Secretary of State launched a similar program for inmates leaving state prisons in 2021. Giannoulias said Monday that in 2021, the state processed about 447 applications for state IDs by former inmates and 875 in 2022. So far in 2023, the state has surpassed last year's total.

Initially, state officials said that the program in Cook County would include individuals who have previously applied for a state ID card or driver’s license, or those who have access to documents such as birth certificates and social security cards to apply for the first time, according to a news release.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office said that the program will gradually expand to provide state IDs to everyone in the Cook County Jail population. Dart said that about 2,300 people currently awaiting trial will be eligible to apply for state IDs as part of the initial phase of the pilot program.

Dart estimates about 10,000 or more inmates cycling through Cook County Jail every year could qualify for free state IDs when they are released, the news release said. Without this program, they could wait weeks or months to receive a state ID through regular channels.

“We know that people who have a safe place to live, are receiving services they need, and are employed are less likely to re-offend,” Dart said in the news release. “Having a government-issued ID is the first step to obtaining those things.”