Without identification, people cannot go to bars, rent an apartment, book a hotel room or buy a car. Each year, more than 600,000 people are released from state and federal prisons and many times these people reentering society do not have the opportunity or means to obtain important identification documents. Individuals reentering society often face additional barriers when obtaining housing and employment due to difficulties acquiring identification.

To address this issue, states have adopted a variety of laws to help previous offenders with identification issues when reentering society. Valid identification is a pivotal component to acquiring many other elements of reentry that have proven successful at reducing recidivism, such as employment, housing and education.

This policy snapshot provides a general overview of state policies about identification upon reentry. The primary focus is on the states that have chosen to provide identification cards upon release through legislation. But other states have chosen to provide these services through administrative agencies, such as a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or a Department of Corrections (DOC). In these cases, agencies may sign a memorandum of understanding to elaborate on the interagency partnerships necessary. These interagency partnerships can then easily become codified by legislators. For example, according to The National Reentry Resource Center, Florida’s Licensing on Wheels (FLOW) program began traveling to state prisons in 2009 to assist people in obtaining identification cards. By 2014, the state interagency partnership became law.

Read the full article about identification for previously incarcerated individuals at The National Conference for State Legislatures.