Buckner Introduces Measure to Track Recidivism Data, Address IDOC Oversite

CHICAGO — State Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, is continuing his efforts to build a more accountable and effective criminal justice system with the Illinois Correctional Data and Transparency Act. For years, the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) has not consistently reported basic recidivism outcomes because fragmented, outdated IT systems do not link prison, parole and program data—leaving policymakers and the public without a clear picture of what works. Buckner’s measure requires IDOC to modernize those systems and to publish an annual, comprehensive and publicly accessible recidivism report with disaggregated data.

“The first duty of the criminal justice system is public safety. Yet without reliable recidivism data, Illinois is flying blind on whether incarceration and reentry programs reduce crime. Right now, we cannot say, with confidence, how many people leaving prison reoffend or which interventions actually work. That is unacceptable,” Buckner said. “Failing to measure outcomes is a serious oversight that undercuts the men and women in law enforcement who need accurate information, wastes taxpayer dollars and weakens lawmakers’ ability to deliver real reform. House Bill 4135 fixes this by requiring IDOC to modernize its systems and publish clear, annual and disaggregated recidivism data so we invest in what works, stop funding what does not and keep our communities safe.”

Buckner filed House Bill 4135, the Illinois Correctional Data and Transparency Act, requiring the Illinois Department of Corrections to publish annual recidivism reports starting March 1, 2026, including: offense class, age group, county, facility, sentence type and release type. The bill also requires a concrete plan to fix the IT failures that caused long-term data gaps and sets interagency data- sharing and accountability standards.

Buckner has led major criminal justice reforms for years. Most recently, after the murder of Sonya Massey by a sheriff’s deputy, he authored and passed the Sonya Massey Act to close hiring loopholes—mandating transparent, interoperable hiring records; stronger background and reference checks; required disclosure of prior discipline; and clear accountability for agencies that ignore red flags.

“Time and time again it has been proven to be true: transparency and clarity lead to progress while obfuscation and confusion lead to wasted time, failure to meet achievable goals or even tragedy,” Buckner said. “This extreme disregard for public safety is tragic, and we can’t hesitate to fix it.”