Illinois, like the rest of the United States, is experiencing a worker shortage that recently was more severe than any since the Second World War.3 The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that Illinois has 109,000 fewer workers than it needs to fill 429,000 open jobs.4 This shortage hampers the capacities of businesses to produce goods and services and contributes to inflation. [...] When employment goes up, recidivism and offending go down.5 Old records make it more challenging for people to find the jobs and homes they need to be secure and productive citizens.6 Ninety-two percent of employers conduct background checks of applicants,7 and nearly 90 percent of landlords conduct background checks of prospective tenants.8 In Illinois, a conviction can appear on a consumer credi. [...] Illinois families lose $13 billion in wages each year, as old records push hundreds of thousands of people into marginal employment or out of the labor market entirely.10 Without access to their labor and productivity, the state’s businesses areunable to meet demand for their goods and services, meaning that the full costs in lost economic activity are between $20 and $30 billion.11 Job Openings b. [...] Safe Communities Work Clearing old records boosts employment and makes communities safer, and safe communities are the engines of innovation and growth.24 The Illinois Legislature can put the state into a cycle where employment creates safety and safety creates innovation and prosperity. [...] This figure was adapted to Illinois using two metrics: The Illinois adult population as a percentage of the total US population and the rate of adults with felony convictions in Illinois compared to the same rate in the US population.
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- United States of America
