Reentry Guides - Education Justice Project

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EJP’s Reentry Guide Initiative publishes three reentry guides, Mapping Your Future: A Guide to Successful Reentry in Illinois, Mapping Your Future: National Edition and A New Path: A Guide to the Challenges and Opportunities After Deportation.

We also manage an Illinois reentry resource website, reentryillinois.net, with a searchable directory of reentry services across the state. We produce reentry videos and other resources.

Mapping Your Future: A Guide to Successful Reentry in Illinois

Our 2023 Illinois reentry guide has a wealth of information on preparing for reentry while incarcerated, steps to take following release, and directories of resources. Topics include housing, employment, healthcare, finances, substance use and more. Download our guide here.

Mapping Your Future: National Edition

Are you returning home to a different state? We’ve taken our Illinois reentry guide and made it a national resource! You’ll find helpful advice about housing, employment, healthcare, substance use and more, with resources for formerly incarcerated individuals throughout the US.

“Mapping Your Future is everything you need to know about reentry including things that you did not think about.”
-Shayla Jackson, Social Worker, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services

A New Path: A Guide to the Challenges & Opportunities after Deportation

This guide is for people who face deportation to Mexico or Central America following their sentence. It is also useful for anyone who is at risk for deportation. Download our guide here.

Illinois Reentry Resources Website

The Reentry Guide Initiative’s Illinois Reentry Resources Website is a searchable directory of services for people returning home from prison. It also includes other reentry resources, including videos, our guides, and stories of EJP alumni.

Reentry Video Series

Reentry Guide FAQ

How can I receive a hard copy of a reentry guide?

You can request guides via mail, phone, email, or online form. We will mail one to you free of cost. Contact us at:

Reentry Guide Initiative
EJP
1001 S. Wright St
Champaign, IL 61820

217-300-5150 reentry@educationjustice.net

Online form

How much does it cost?

Each guide costs roughly $11 to print and ship. We are able to supply a limited number of guides for free. However, if your organization is able to contribute towards our printing and mailing costs, please let us know. Invoicing you will allow us to reach even more incarcerated individuals.

Are guides available online?

Yes. You can download PDFs via the buttons above. Feel free to print copies as well. You can access all our guides as well as a searchable reentry directory at reentryillinois.net

Can I order more than one copy of a guide?

Yes. If you are interested in a large number of guides, we will likely ask about your plans for using them and ask for your help with the cost. We are always looking to learn more about what organizations are doing around reentry in our state, and we want to know how our guides can best support your efforts.

There’s an error in the guide! How can I provide feedback?

We want the guide to be as helpful as possible. If you have suggestions for us, we would love to hear them. You can send feedback to our office address or email us at reentry@educationjustice.net.

I would like to tell you about a new resource. How can I do that?

Please email us at reentry@educationjustice.net.

Do you update the guides regularly?

Yes. We release updated versions each year.

How can I support the Reentry Guide Initiative?

Thank you for asking! Donate to help us continue to offer free guides to individuals and groups throughout the state. While free to users, it costs us around $11 to print and mail each guide. The Education Justice Project relies on grants and donations to provide the guides free of charge. If you or your organization is requesting guides, please allow us to invoice you for any amount. You can indicate that through the order form.

We also greatly appreciate your feedback. We welcome your suggestions.

How can I join the Reentry Guide Initiative?

We welcome applications year-round from individuals interested in working with our Reentry Guide Initiative (RGI) on a volunteer basis. RGI also has an advisory council of formerly incarcerated individuals who receive modest stipends. You can learn more about the application process here, or contact RGI directly at: reentry@educationjustice.net.

How can I request my organization be included in your database?

Fill out this form here. We will do our best to include you both in our website and print directories where we are restricted by space.