Durbin Announces More Than $5.6 Million in DOJ Funding to Enhance Illinois Justice Programs

Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority Receives More Than $2 Million for Efforts to Reduce Gun Violence

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has recently awarded a total of $5,671,165 in grants to support the establishment or enhancement of several justice system programs in Illinois. These programs provide support and services to a number of Illinois communities through research and education initiatives, as well as legal assistance and support services.

“Our nation's law enforcement officers are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens,” Durbin said. “As these brave men and women put themselves in harm’s way, we must ensure that they are equipped with the best tools possible to do their jobs well, and today’s grant will help meet that goal.”

The following Illinois entities and programs will receive funding:

Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, Chicago, Illinois: $1,650,000 in funding has been awarded to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) through the NICS Act Record Improvement Program. This funding will be used to automate the process of submitting mental health information and other disqualifying records for federal firearm licenses. Streamlining this process will help improve access to disqualifying information and help prevent individuals who are prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm from having access to such weapons.

Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, Chicago, Illinois: $500,000 in funding has also been awarded to the ICJIA through the Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction Program, also known as Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods seeks to create safer neighborhoods by reducing crime associated with gang and gun violence. The ICJIA will use this grant to reduce the incidence of gang and gun violence in Chicago through a multi-faceted strategy to continue create new community partnerships, increase accountability, and improve long-term strategic planning.

Hoyleton Youth and Family Services, Hoyleton, Illinois: $150,000 in funding has been awarded to Hoyleton Youth and Family Services through the Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction Program, also known as Project Safe Neighborhoods. Hoyleton Youth and Family Services will use this funding to help address violent crime in the City of East Saint Louis and its neighboring communities, particularly in areas of high crime activity in federally funded housing projects.

Chestnut Health System Inc., Normal, Illinois: $1,538,000 in funding has been awarded through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s Multi-State Mentoring Initiative to help communities across the country develop mentoring programs for high-risk and underserved populations. Chestnut Health Systems will use this grant to offer mentoring and substance abuse treatment for youth and their families in order to help reduce long-term recidivism.

University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois: $25,000 in funding has been awarded through the Graduate Research Fellowship Program to support research examining whether the demographics of neighborhoods in which foster children are placed affects their risk of future delinquency.

University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois: $499,050 in funding has been awarded to the University of Chicago through the Mentoring Best Practices Research Program and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. This grant will be used to explore mentoring as a prevention strategy for youth who are at risk of involvement or already involved in the juvenile justice system.

Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Cook County, Illinois: $500,000 in funding has been awarded to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office through the Enhanced Collaborative Model to Combat Human Trafficking Program to help support law enforcement and social service organizations’ response to victims of human trafficking. This funding will enhance the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office ability to identify trafficking crimes and provide comprehensive services to trafficking victims.

The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division Family and Community Services, Chicago, Illinois: $500,000 in funding has been awarded to the Salvation Army Metropolitan Division Family and Community Services through the Enhanced Collaborative Model to Combat Human Trafficking program to help support a comprehensive approach to combating human trafficking. This grant will allow the Salvation Army to conduct victim-centered trafficking investigations and provide comprehensive support services to victims.

Lee County Probation Department, Lee County, Illinois: $98,604 in funding has been awarded to the Lee County Probation Department to improve drug treatment courts that integrate services for nonviolent, substance-abusing offenders. The grant will be used to establish new assistance for target populations not currently being served, enhance existing court operations and expand court services. This funding was made available through the DOJ’s Adult Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program, which is designed to develop and implement drug treatment courts for jurisdictions to incorporate substance abuse treatment, mandatory drug testing, sanctions and incentives, and transitional services in a judicially supervised court setting.

Lake County, Illinois: $189,693 in funding has been awarded to Lake County to improve drug treatment courts that integrate services for nonviolent, substance-abusing offenders. The grant will be used to establish new assistance for target populations not currently being served, enhance existing court operations and expand court services. This funding was made available through the DOJ’s Adult Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program.

South Illinois University at Carbondale, Carbondale, Illinois: $20,818 in funding has been awarded through the DOJ’s Data Resources Program to help analyze data measuring community policing and prosecution activities.

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