DuPage County Sheriff's Office 1st In State To Bring IGNITE Program To Inmates

WHEATON, IL — The DuPage County Sheriff's Office will be the first site in Illinois to incorporate the Inmate Growth Naturally and Intentionally Through Education (IGNITE) for its inmates.

The initiative comes to DuPage County Jail via a partnership with JUST of DuPage.

The program, which is led by the National Sheriffs' Association (NSA), got its start in Michigan when it was designed by Sheriff Christopher R. Swanson.

IGNITE aims to foster education and development of inmates and reduce recidivism through learning programs that are offered five days a week. The curriculum includes GED- and college-level courses and also offers instruction that helps inmates develop financial literacy and other life skills.

Vocational and trade skill training is also available, giving inmates the opportunity to earn job certifications.

According to NSA, a study showed that IGNITE can reduce weekly incidents of misconduct in jails by as much as 25 percent. The data shows a reduction of three-month recidivism rates by up to 24 percent and of one-year recidivism rates by 15 percent.

The study shared by NSA also notes that since the program is run by law enforcement in repurposed jail spaces, the budget increases are "negligible."

"Substance recovery, mental health services, counseling, education, and job training are the key components in what we call the continuum of care. IGNITE, JUST and the DuPage County Sheriff's Office are combining our efforts to give people a second chance while equipping them with the tools to be successful." DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick said in a statement.

Mendrick added, "I believe that this will be a great partnership that will help a great deal of people."