Corrections Community

Can anyone out there please help us? My husband was released from prison in April of 2006 from the Vienna Correctional Center in Illinois. We live in DuPage County and we'd like to move to Will County soon. It has been extremely hard for him to find a job. All we want to do is move on with our lives and eventually buy a house of our own for our two children to grow up in. We are 36 years old. Does anyone know of any programs, grants, or employers that will hire ex-felons in our area? We are so desperate to live a normal life again!!!! It seems like all of the programs and grants are only geared to people who live in Cook County. Please respond as soon as possible.

Thank you!!

an ex-felon's wifey

 

You may want to contact the Department of Employment Security In Chicaho Illinois. Felicia Clark is the representative for this region. There is a program called WOTC , The Work Opportunity Tax Credit Program. This gives employers a Tax credit for hireing a person who is a convicted felon. They can send you a brochure about the program. The Program is designed to give employers a reason to hire someone who is trying to get back in to the work force who happens to have a felony. Don't stop trying, keep your head up and tell your husbands Parole Officer if he or she can help in this area. Contact # 312-793-1778 ext: 231 Good Luck

You might wish to just go the Social Security route, I've noticed it climbs with jail time and honestly think some people use it as an investment program and wind up in the system because of this link in services, but any social security office and follow up with medical examinations, and appeals, it winds up be a lot of work but it's not welfare and sometimes that is the right job for some repeat offenders especially.

There are educational opportunities in Illinois. Some universities will require you disclose a prior criminal record during the admissions process, but they will not bar from admissions because of a felony. It's more a matter of formality. I am originally from Wisconsin and I knew enough to get the heck out of wisconsin. I completed my 12 months of Wisconsin parole in Illinois, and never went back, and would never move back to Wisconsin. The laws in Illinois are more forgiving of ex felons, and the community practices are more forgiving, in regards to gaining employment, ect. If you have to choose Illinois or Wisconsin, choose Illinois. I have been out of prison 7 years and would never have had the employment and academic progress if I had stayed in Wisconsin.