Books give these individuals a connection to the outside world, and that connection increases their chances of success after release,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said about awarding $15,000 to libraries at the state’s 28 prisons

Detainees leaving Cook County Jail will soon be able to apply for a free state ID on the way back to society. Part of the jail can be seen in this 2021 photo

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (December 13, 2023) — Detainees on their way out of Cook County Jail will soon be able to take a key resource with them on the journey, under a first-of-its-kind ID program being launched this week by state and county officials.