Illinois Receives $5 million in Recovery Funding for Anti-violence Efforts, Personnel

CHICAGO – September 2, 2009. Governor Pat Quinn and Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority Acting Executive Director Jack Cutrone today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice approved $5 million in Services • Training • Officers • Prosecutors (STOP) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program funding for Illinois. The grants, made possible through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), will be allocated on a competitive basis to not-for-profits and units of government with personnel and training needs.

“We are putting federal Recovery dollars to work to help meet the unique needs of women who are victims of violent crime in Illinois,” said Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.

Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) is requesting proposals from law enforcement agencies, state’s attorney’s offices, county probation departments, and victim service agencies for grants to provide training in the prevention of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and to hire or retain specialized criminal justice and victim service personnel in these areas. Application packets are available online at www.icjia.state.il.us.

The STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program promotes a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach among law enforcement, prosecution, probation and victims’ services personnel to improve the criminal justice system's response to women in need.

The program also encourages development and strengthening of victim services, and effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies to address violent crimes against women. ICJIA administers the STOP Violence Against Women program in Illinois.

“We continually work with victim advocates to identify the state’s needs and then target funding to meet those needs,” said ICJIA Acting Executive Director Cutrone. “Training and specialized personnel to assist women who are violent crime victims were identified as a priority.”