IACJ News and Updates

Welcome to the IACJ eNewsletter...your source for timely information on criminal justice policy and practice in Illinois. News and Reports The following is a summary of criminal justice news and reports recently posted on the association's website. Visit www.illinoiscriminaljustice.org for more information and direct links. A new report by Justice Policy Institute (JPI) highlights the disadvantages of the criminal justice system using money for bail and proposes alternatives such as the use of evidence-based assessments, citations, and recognizance bonds. The National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) published a report touting the advances in states' juvenile justice policies between 2009 and 2011. A recent report published by the John Howard Association (JHA) stresses the burdens of the prison healthcare system on taxpayers and DOC budgets, and proposes fifteen recommendations with which to improve it. Vera Institute of Justice and Pew Center on the States released a report finding that despite policies aimed at reducing the number of people incarcerated, and shifting public opinion on crime and punishment, there is no relationship between the number of people incarcerated and the amount a state may spend on corrections and community corrections. A Council of State Governments Justice Center report shows that recent evidence-based reforms aimed at reducing recidivism are successful in seven states. Events Symposium: "Serving Our Communities: Alternatives to Incarceration" October 10, 2012 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple 77 W. Washington St. Chicago, Illinois http://www.thecommongood.org/ Prairie State College Community Criminal Justice Summit November 10, 2012 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Prairie State College Conference Center 202 S. Halsted St. Chicago Heights, IL http://prairiestate.edu/ced/news_events.html IDOC Summits of Hope Various dates & Illinois locations For more information, visit www.summitofhope.org. 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.  For more information on criminal justice issues and opportunities, and how you can get involved, visit illinoiscriminaljustice.org