Kane County Launches First-Ever Corrections Based Small Business Development Center

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The Kane County Sheriff's Office has launched a groundbreaking diversion and reentry program that integrates business development with future opportunities for detainees at the Kane County jail. Sheriff's officials believe the center is the first of its kind in the nation and hope it will serve as a national model for success.

The Kane County Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which officially opened on September 17, provides structure and guidance to current and former detainees interested in starting small businesses. Run in partnership with Waubonsee Community College, the center will assist with small business development, problem-solving, researching capital investment, and providing education and training when available.       

Judy Dawson, Director of Diversion and Reentry Programs at the Kane County Sheriff's Office, says this initiative is one of several aimed at reducing recidivism rates, which have dropped from 49 percent to 18 percent over the past six years. The SBDC will provide support, motivation, and a foundation for detainees to build a new direction before their release, offering them choices to improve their outcomes.

The SBDC evolved from a six-year program created by Dawson that gives detainees the opportunity to participate in a business plan and pitch competition. Participants work with advisors from Waubonsee, refining their business plans through shared experiences, market analysis, and feasibility studies. Detainees then pitch their plans to a panel of local business experts and community members, who offer feedback and select an overall winner.

Since the start of the competition, two former detainees have successfully launched a catering company and a trucking business.