Detainees leaving Cook Co. Jail can get free state ID cards
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Starting Monday detainees leaving Cook County Jail can walk out with free state identification cards thanks to a first-of-its-kind program.
Cook County Sheriff Dart and Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced the partnership.
Dart said about half of people who cycle through Cook County Jail leave without a state-issued ID for various reasons and that can be a roadblock as they try to get their lives back on track.
"If you're serious about fighting crime, this is what you will do. You will take care of the easy things. Connecting people with IDs. So they can get jobs, they can find housing. They're not looking to find money to be able to find a place to live and to sustain themselves," Dart said. "We can work through these things."
Officials say about 2,300 people awaiting trial in Cook County will be eligible to apply for an ID in the first phase of the program. including about 1,800 already released on electronic monitoring,