ILLINOIS — The Illinois Department of Corrections announced Monday the launch of its first Life Skills Reentry Center in Kewanee, where offenders who are nearing the end of their sentences will learn skills that are critical to their success in the community.
Kewanee is one of three Life Skills Reentry Centers slated to open in Illinois, as part of Governor Rauner’s plan to safely reduce the prison population and restructure the state’s criminal justice system. Kewanee will begin receiving offenders as early as February 16th.
The facility will offer educational, job readiness and cognitive behavior therapy courses to offenders who have one to four years left on their sentence and qualify for placement at Kewanee.
They will also learn skills that help them readjust to society, like how to manage a bank account, use the latest technology, and schedule medical appointments.
One very unique aspect of the facility is that it will also house a small number of offenders who have more than four years left on their sentences.
The Department is working to launch another Life Skills Reentry Center for males at the former Illinois Youth Center in Murphsyboro and a female Life Skills Reentry Center at Logan Correctional Center.