North Lawndale residents who have served time behind bars are finding a path to stability thanks to a locally‑run employment network. A new report from the University of Illinois Chicago’s Great Cities Institute, prepared for the North Lawndale Employment Network, documents how the program’s job‑training, financial education and entrepreneurship coaching are dramatically lowering recidivism and saving the state billions.
Recidivism rates drop sharply
The study defines recidivism as the likelihood that a person released from incarceration will reoffend. Between 2005 and 2024, more than 28,000 North Lawndale residents returned to prison, costing roughly $1.3 billion at an average $45,000 per inmate per year. Since the network began its anti‑recidivism services, fewer than 10 percent of program graduates have been sent back to prison within three years, compared with a 43 percent re‑offense rate for the state overall.
Employment outcomes far exceed national averages
More than 70 percent of participants secure jobs within six months of completing the program, versus a national average of 45 percent. Of those employed, 92 percent remain in work after six months, outpacing the 70 percent national retention rate. For every ten people enrolled, the state saves about $405,000 in incarceration costs.
Innovative programs like Sweet Beginnings
One standout initiative, Sweet Beginnings, teaches participants beekeeping and honey‑product creation. Since partnering with O’Hare International Airport in 2011, the program’s honey now stocks ten airport Starbucks locations. To date, Sweet Beginnings has served 1,800 participants and produced thousands of pounds of honey. The network’s campus, opened in 2021, includes a rooftop apiary, an events space, a peace garden and a café, reinforcing the “wrap‑around” support model that goes beyond résumé building.
Economic return on investment
The report calculates that every dollar invested in the network yields a $5.60 return in social and economic benefits. Teresa Córdova, director of UIC’s Great Cities Institute, emphasizes that state money is better spent on proven programs that strengthen families and communities rather than on costly incarceration.
Calls for expansion
Based on the findings, the report recommends that local and state officials broaden re‑entry services, strengthen Fair‑Chance Hiring policies and offer tax credits to employers who hire formerly incarcerated individuals. Network CEO Brenda Palms argues that scaling these programs could free up billions for infrastructure, schools and small‑business development, directly benefiting the families of North Lawndale.
As the community continues to grapple with poverty and limited job opportunities, the North Lawndale Employment Network demonstrates how faith‑based values of family, personal responsibility and liberty can be translated into concrete, life‑changing outcomes.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
