Lockport Participants Finish Will County Adult Redeploy Illinois

LOCKPORT, IL — 11 participants, including some from Lockport, recently graduated the Will County Adult Redeploy Illinois. According to the State's Attorney's Office, 11 defendants who committed non-violent crimes have graduated the program, which seeks to keep non-violent offenders out of state prisons through counseling, substance abuse treatment, mental health therapy and job location services.

Those in the program were from Joliet, Rockdale, Shorewood and Lockport. The State's Attorney's Office said a graduation was held May 29 at the Will County Office Building. Each of these individuals had pled guilty up front to various nonviolent offenses, such as retail theft, to participate in the intensive 18-month program that helps them avoid a prison sentence. The event brings to 25 the number of individuals who have graduated from the Will County ARI Court. This was the third graduating class, and the largest to date.

“Through Will County ARI, defendants are empowered to change their behavior, seek gainful employment, and become productive citizens who contribute to our community,” Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow said in a release. “This program not only saves taxpayer dollars by rehabilitating individuals who may otherwise have cycled in and out of the criminal justice system; it has turned the lives around for the participating individuals and given them another chance.”