By Illinois News Network
SPRINGFIELD – A program to help convicted criminals find their place in the community helped save the state’s corrections system over $45 million, that’s according to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.
Executive Director John Maki said that Adult Redeploy Illinois program, or ARI, diverted more than 2,000 non-violent offenders from prison since it’s inception in 2011, which has saved an estimated $46.8 million in correctional costs.
ARI supports 18 sites with 19 probation programs in more than 30 Illinois counties.
A press release touting ARI said there will be a summit in Bloomington on March 19 to bring the sites together and share strategies to improve outcomes. Gov. Bruce Rauner has touted ARI as a huge success.