Every year, tens of thousands of people return to Chicago from prison or jail—land in neighborhoods with no jobs, no money, and criminal records that shut doors. The cost? Over $150,000 per person in recidivism, plus billions more over five years. But here’s the twist: proven solutions exist. Vocational training inside prison slashes reoffending rates and boosts employment. Illinois’ own work-release programs show the same success. Meanwhile, industries like trucking and HVAC are begging for workers—but many qualified candidates can’t fill those roles because they lack training. Enter Next Mile NYC: a bold program offering free job training to ex-offenders in high-demand fields, funded only if participants land jobs paying $70K–$125K. Zero rearrests since launch. Now being copied nationwide, this model proves that investing in opportunity—not punishment—is the smarter, safer, and cheaper path forward. Chicago’s choice? Keep paying for failure… or build a system that actually works.
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