It is impossible to successfully reintegrate into the community without valid documentation.
One of the biggest obstacles of reentering the community as a formerly incarcerated individual is not having sufficient paperwork. Often, identity documents are lost or expire during incarceration, and replacing them can take weeks which can significantly increase the likelihood of recidivism.
People are expected to leave from prison with state IDs starting next year
A pilot program launched in Illinois has already processed 346 state ID cards for incarcerated people leaving detention. Under state law, the issuance of ID cards upon release is free of charge. The program is planned to be operational in all 27 IDOC facilities by April 2022.
Source: bit.ly/3oDDEWv