Advocacy 
Because public policy continues to unnecessarily impede formerly incarcerated individuals’ transition to becoming productive members of their communities and families, NLEN advocates for formerly incarcerated individuals based on knowledge gained from our own experience and that of partner agencies in working directly with this population.
Going Home Initiative: The Going Home Initiative, which is included in the broader U-Turn Permitted program, is a collaborative re-entry effort with the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). This three-year, $2 million grant was awarded to provide re-entry services to 200 of the hardest-to-serve returning offenders. The Going Home initiative has already had important policy effects at IDOC. IDOC has agreed to transfer incarcerated participants to the West Side Adult Transition Center (ATC) so that these clients can better access services and be close to the communities where they will return upon release. This is the first time IDOC has considered inmates’ home zip codes in making decisions about release process. In addition, starting in September 2004, NLEN will begin to provide re-entry services on site at the ATC. This is a further and very significant change in policy for IDOC – a change NLEN influenced. Addressing and delivering employment and other services prior to release is an important component of our advocacy efforts aimed at changing government-created barriers to effective rehabilitation.
Cook County Ordinance – Re-entry Employment Demonstration Pilot Program: NLEN was instrumental in providing the support Cook County Commissioner Bobbie Steele needed to pass the April 8, 2004 Cook County Ordinance establishing the Re-entry Employment Demonstration Pilot Program (REDPP) of Cook County. Through the REDPP program, 100 first-time, non-violent offenders who have successfully completed NLEN’s employment readiness training will become eligible for a 12-month paid internship in County jobs, after which individuals will be able to apply for available full-time positions with the County and/or participating private sector employers. Going forward, NLEN will advise Commissioner Steele and a new Cook County lead board appointed to oversee the program on 1) how to establish an assessment process for participants, 2) the design of a system to match jobs, skills, and employment location, and 3) how to monitor program performance.
Mayor’s Policy Caucus on Prisoner Re-entry: Brenda Palms Barber has recently begun working with the Mayor’s Policy Caucus on Prisoner Re-entry on a series of events centered on policy issues that affect formerly incarcerated individuals. The purpose of the Caucus meetings is to create a city forum for policymakers and public administration representatives, community representatives, direct service providers, and employers to discuss the lack of employment opportunities, lack of housing options, the limited education and skills, substance abuse problems, physical and mental health issues, and other issues that negatively affect the re-entry process of formerly incarcerated individuals in their communities.
Research on Alternatives to Incarceration: The research on Alternatives to Incarceration is designed to work with formerly incarcerated individuals, their families, community residents, court officials, including judges, defense lawyers, and prosecuting attorneys in an effort to curve the methods of charging and sentencing offenders with non-violent offenses.
Non-violent offenders make up 70 percent of the bourgeoning prison population in the United States. The core idea of the research project is to make policy recommendations aimed at convincing the criminal justice system that there are better alternatives for these non-violent offenders. Prison sentences and the prison environment itself have been documented for having generally a negative psychological and health effect on (non-violent) incarcerated people. Further, prisons are often the territory of gangs, so incarceration only increases the likelihood of non-violent offenders to become involved in gangs. The availability of drugs in prisons combined with the depression that incarceration causes only encourages the population without substance abuse histories to become addicted while serving their sentences. These factors diminish the chance that these individuals will return to their communities as positive and productive citizens. Incarceration of non-violent offenders is a public safety issue as much as one of social justice. NLEN’s research project will argue that non-violent offenders need to be punished in a more effective and productive manner. NLEN expects to make policy recommendations by the end of 2004.
Town Hall Meetings: On August 15 and 16, 2003 the North Lawndale Employment Network sponsored the annual Town Hall meeting for Congressman Danny Davis at Malcolm X College in Chicago. Brenda Palms Barber was one of the distinguished speakers for the Congressman’s opening address. Ms. Barber and Anthony Burton participated on a panel with State Senator Barack Obama and State Representative Constance Howard to discuss the federally funded Going Home program and several new laws that were passed by the state lawmakers. The lawmakers introduced to the audience several bills that had been passed, including one that would change some of the expungement laws in the State of Illinois and one bill that would allow formerly incarcerated individuals to seek regulatory licenses in several fields including barbering, nail technicians, cosmetology and dead animal removal. Under this bill, the formerly incarcerated individual would have the opportunity to seek a license once they have served their time in prison and have been given a certificate of good standing by the State of Illinois. NLEN also set up a booth at the Town Hall meeting to highlight its program and accomplishments.
State Workforce Investment Board, Ex-offender Employability Task Force, and the Congressman Danny Davis’ Seventh District Ex-offender Taskforce: The North Lawndale Employment Network actively participates on the State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB), Ex-offender Employability Task Force, and Seventh District Congressman Danny Davis’ Ex-offender Taskforce. The SWIB Ex-offender Employability Taskforce has partnered with the Illinois Going Home Initiative Executive Committee to conduct a joint monthly meeting. The meetings are used to develop and review policy recommendations, collaborate on employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals, including transitional jobs, and for program modification and change. NLEN has also joined Governor Rob Blagojevich’s Re-entry and Public Safety Taskforce that will oversee the work and recommendations of the SWIB taskforce under the new governor.
Congressional Black Caucus: In September 2003, Brenda Palms Barber went to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Congressional Black Caucus. As in previous years, Ms. Barber has had the opportunity to educate lawmakers on public policies that affect low-income individuals, especially formerly incarcerated individuals.
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