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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, The United States has almost 2,000,000 of its | ||||||
| 3 | people in prison, which is more than any other developed | ||||||
| 4 | nation in the world; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, The vast majority of the men and women in our | ||||||
| 6 | prisons, approximately 95%, will eventually return to their | ||||||
| 7 | communities; and
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| 8 | WHEREAS, Few of those who return to their communities are | ||||||
| 9 | prepared for their release and often face barriers | ||||||
| 10 | reintegrating into society, such as serious physical and | ||||||
| 11 | mental health problems, limited housing options, and | ||||||
| 12 | inadequate education or qualifications to hold a job; and
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| 13 | WHEREAS, One-third of all correction departments provide | ||||||
| 14 | no services to released offenders, and most departments do not | ||||||
| 15 | offer a transitional program, placing a heavy burden on | ||||||
| 16 | families and communities; and
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| 17 | WHEREAS, Two-thirds of persons released will be rearrested | ||||||
| 18 | for new crimes within the first three years after their | ||||||
| 19 | release; and
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| 20 | WHEREAS, Congressman Danny K. Davis sponsored the Second | ||||||
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| 1 | Chance Act of 2007 for the purposes of providing transitional | ||||||
| 2 | assistance to ex-offenders in coping with the challenges of | ||||||
| 3 | reentry, reducing recidivism, helping to reunite families and | ||||||
| 4 | protect communities, and enhancing public safety; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, The Second Chance Act of 2007 was signed into law | ||||||
| 6 | on April 9, 2008; and | ||||||
| 7 | WHEREAS, The Second Chance Act of 2007 provides grants to | ||||||
| 8 | state and local governments to promote the safe and successful | ||||||
| 9 | reintegration of offenders into the community upon their | ||||||
| 10 | release; therefore, be it
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| 11 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 12 | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 13 | we declare July 3, 2023 and July 3, 2024 as Illinois Citizens | ||||||
| 14 | Reentry Day, to be observed in recognition of Congressman | ||||||
| 15 | Danny K. Davis' work in helping to provide ex-offenders with a | ||||||
| 16 | second chance and opportunity to reenter society as productive | ||||||
| 17 | citizens and to encourage continuing support of such citizens | ||||||
| 18 | as they reenter their communities; and be it further
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| 19 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 20 | presented to Congressman Danny K. Davis with our esteem and | ||||||
| 21 | respect.
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