REP. GORDON-BOOTH & SEN. RAOUL PASS MAJOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM BILL TO ADDRESS VICTIMS’ NEEDS AND REDUCE RECIDIVISM
01/11/2017
SPRINGFIELD, IL -- Monday, the Illinois General Assembly passed bipartisan legislation to improve services for victims of crime and advance justice reforms aimed at reducing offender recidivism. The Neighborhood Safety Act (sponsored by State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, State Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago, House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, Rep. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, and Rep. Chad Hays, R-Danville), passed the House Judiciary Criminal Law Committee unanimously, and passed the House and Senate with strong bipartisan majorities. Governor Bruce Rauner, a supporter of the bill, is expected to sign the historic legislation.
After decades of increased prison expenditures and recent spikes in violence, leaders across the political spectrum have sought strategies to more effectively balance rehabilitation, prevention and offender accountability to improve public safety. The Neighborhood Safety Act establishes a pilot trauma recovery program for crime victims, incentivizes offenders to rehabilitate themselves, and provides judicial discretion for certain sentencing decisions, It’s three main components:
Research indicates that far too many Illinois crime victims experience chronic trauma without recovery support. Left untreated, trauma can contribute to substance abuse, housing instability, loss of employment and other challenges that increase the risk of being a victim again. Meanwhile, Illinois has among the largest incarcerated population in the country, spending almost $2 billion dollars annually on its corrections system. Nearly half of those of those released from prison will return within three years, costing taxpayers $16.7 billion over the next five years alone.
Evidence-based approaches to break the cycle of crime through rehabilitation, trauma recovery, graduated sanctions, and incarceration when appropriate, are gaining support across the country. The Neighborhood Safety Act enacts strategies aligned with emerging best practices in public safety. Senate Bill 2872 was supported by: Illinois Association of Chief’s of Police, Illinois Sheriffs’ Association.
Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-92nd District, Lead Bill Sponsor - “ This bill is the first step to reform our criminal justice system so that it can better meet the needs of victims and hold offenders accountable. Victims want and need services to help them heal from their trauma and protect them in the future. Too many people are going into the prison system and not coming out in better shape than before they went in. We need to reduce victimization and help break the and help break the cycle of crime that is impacting generations of people in our state.”
After decades of increased prison expenditures and recent spikes in violence, leaders across the political spectrum have sought strategies to more effectively balance rehabilitation, prevention and offender accountability to improve public safety. The Neighborhood Safety Act establishes a pilot trauma recovery program for crime victims, incentivizes offenders to rehabilitate themselves, and provides judicial discretion for certain sentencing decisions, It’s three main components:
- Invest in Trauma Recovery : Establish a pilot program for trauma recovery centers for
victims in diverse locations across the state to address chronic trauma and prevent
victims from becoming victims again in the future. The pilot programs would be paid for
with federal funding administered by the Illinois Criminal Justice Authority. - Incentivize Rehabilitation : Incentivize inmates who will be released to rehabilitate
themselves and prepare to re-enter society by earning sentence credit for completion of
life skills, job training, mental health, substance abuse and other evidence-based
programs proven to reduce recidivism. No additional funding is required. - Restore Judicial Discretion: Gives judges authority to sentence people to supervised
probation in lieu of incarceration when more appropriate for specified crimes. There is
substantial evidence that demonstrates lower recidivism rates when certain lower-risk
individuals are sentenced to supervised probation instead of jail. No additional funding
is required.
Research indicates that far too many Illinois crime victims experience chronic trauma without recovery support. Left untreated, trauma can contribute to substance abuse, housing instability, loss of employment and other challenges that increase the risk of being a victim again. Meanwhile, Illinois has among the largest incarcerated population in the country, spending almost $2 billion dollars annually on its corrections system. Nearly half of those of those released from prison will return within three years, costing taxpayers $16.7 billion over the next five years alone.
Evidence-based approaches to break the cycle of crime through rehabilitation, trauma recovery, graduated sanctions, and incarceration when appropriate, are gaining support across the country. The Neighborhood Safety Act enacts strategies aligned with emerging best practices in public safety. Senate Bill 2872 was supported by: Illinois Association of Chief’s of Police, Illinois Sheriffs’ Association.
Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-92nd District, Lead Bill Sponsor - “ This bill is the first step to reform our criminal justice system so that it can better meet the needs of victims and hold offenders accountable. Victims want and need services to help them heal from their trauma and protect them in the future. Too many people are going into the prison system and not coming out in better shape than before they went in. We need to reduce victimization and help break the and help break the cycle of crime that is impacting generations of people in our state.”
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