HR0690LRB099 13686 GRL 37640 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The Governor and the members of the General 
3Assembly seek to reduce the number of prisoners incarcerated in 
4penal facilities of the Illinois Department of Corrections; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, A significant reduction in the prison population 
6cannot be achieved without a significant reduction in the 
7recidivism rate; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, The General Assembly has begun to revisit and 
9review some of the outdated policies that trap people with 
10criminal convictions at the margins of society and drive many 
11of them back to jail by denying them jobs, housing, and 
12education; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, The United States Department of Education 
14recently announced a Second Chance Pell Pilot Program to test 
15new models to allow incarcerated Americans to receive Pell 
16Grants and pursue post-secondary education with the goal of 
17helping them turn their lives around and ultimately get jobs, 
18support their families, and stay out of trouble; and
  
 
19    WHEREAS, Through this pilot program, incarcerated 
20individuals who otherwise meet Title IV eligibility 
21requirements and are eligible for release, particularly within 
 
 
HR0690- 2 -LRB099 13686 GRL 37640 r

1the next 5 years, could access Pell Grants to pursue 
2post-secondary education and training; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The Pell Grants acquired through this pilot 
4program can only be used to pay for tuition, fees, books, and 
5supplies required by an individual's education program; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, A 2013 Department of Justice-funded study from the 
7RAND Corporation found that incarcerated individuals who 
8participated in correctional education were 43% less likely to 
9return to prison within 3 years than prisoners who didn't 
10participate in correctional education programs; the 
11researchers involved in the RAND study estimated that, for 
12every dollar invested in correctional education programs, four 
13to five dollars are saved on 3-year re-incarceration costs; and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, The deadline for post-secondary institutions to 
15apply for this pilot program for the 2016-2017 academic year is 
16September 31, 2015; therefore, be it
  
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
18NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
19urge the Illinois Department of Corrections to collaborate with 
20one or more institutions of higher learning in the submission 
21of an application for the Second Chance Pell Pilot Program; and 
22be it further
  
 
 
 
HR0690- 3 -LRB099 13686 GRL 37640 r

1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
2delivered to the Director of the Illinois Department of 
3Corrections.