| Welcome to the IACJ eNewsletter...your source for timely information on criminal justice policy and practice in Illinois. | News Recently, a national criminal justice commission proposed by Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) was blocked in the Senate. The Commission would be charged to conduct a thorough evaluation of the nation's criminal justice system and offer non-binding recommendations to federal, state, and local leaders. Also, IACJ Board Member Pamela Rodriguez, president of Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC), is a guest editor and one of the featured authors of the Prison Journal's landmark publication, "Criminal Justice Reform: Issues and Recommendations for Corrections." Meanwhile, in state and county news, Governor Pat Quinn recently announced a number of appointments to the state's more than 320 boards and commissions, including the Prisoner Review Board, to which he appointed three members: Charles Bowers, Edith Crigler, and Eric Althoff. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is trying to reduce the number of individuals in the Cook County jail and the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (100,000 annually), in part due to the high costs of incarceration. Additionally, the Emergency Services Access Act (SB 1701) passed the Illinois House of Representatives by a 61-53 vote, providing limited immunity for those who possess small amounts of drugs if they call 911 or seek medical help in an overdose situation. To read more about any of these items, visit www.illinoiscriminaljustice.org. Take Action! The Second Chance Act employs an evidence-based approach to improving outcomes for people returning to communities from prisons and jails by authorizing federal grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide services that can help reduce recidivism. Recently, the Senate eliminated funding for the Second Chance Act in their version of the FY 12 funding bill for the Department of Justice. However, there is still time to ensure that the Second Chance Act is funded in FY 2012 as the Senate and House work to resolve differences between their two bills. Also, the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) has circulated a petition to ensure drug prevention to reduce drug usage is a topic of discussion at the White House. Visit the Association's Take Action! page for more info on this and other alerts. Events Mt. Vernon Summit of Hope
November 8, 2011 Time TBD Mt. Vernon Parks and Recreation Rolland W. Lewis Community Building 800 S 27th St, Mt Vernon, IL http://www.summitofhope.org/ Rock Island Summit of Hope
November 9, 2011 Time TBD The Church of the Nazarene 2921 38th St, Rock Island, IL http://www.summitofhope.org/ Bloomington Summit of Hope
November 16, 2011 Time TBD Grace Church 1311 Hovey Ave, Normal, IL 61761 http://www.summitofhope.org/ Webinar: Model State Legislation to Reduce Employment Barriers for People with Criminal Records
November 22, 2011 1:00PM – 2:00PM For more info, click here. ICJIA Symposium: The New Paradigm in Policing
November 29, 2011 8:00AM – 4:30PM Four Points by Sheraton-O'Hare 10249 W Irving Park Rd, Schiller Park, IL For more info, click here. Membership If you are not yet a member of IACJ, we'd like to invite you to consider membership in the association. IACJ is structured to support the work of advocates, providers and policy professionals focused on criminal justice work in Illinois. We hope to bring education, understanding and attention to the best practices in reentry and community reintegration. Benefits of membership include being part of a strong network of your criminal justice peers and experts; the ability to share resources, act collectively, and speak with a common voice to command attention of elected official on policy issues; and a prestigious affiliation with a state-wide association.
Membership is free for a limited time only! For more information and to join, please visit our Membership page.  |
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