ICJIA Kicks Off Statewide Criminal Justice Planning Initiative to Address Crime Prevention, Law Enforcement

CHICAGO—Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) Executive Director Jack Cutrone today announced the start of a large-scale, statewide strategic planning initiative to formulate agency policy, research, and funding direction for the next several years.

The initiative kicks off today with a two-day summit of about 200 local, state, and national lawmakers, policymakers, and criminal justice and mental health practitioners. Smarter Solutions for Crime Reduction: The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority Strategic Planning Initiative, will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., September 22- 23, at the Four Points by Sheraton-Chicago O'Hare, 10249 Irving Park Road, in Schiller Park.

Scheduled panelists and speakers include Cynthia Caporizzo, Special Advisor for Strategic Planning with the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, U.S. Department of Justice Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mary Lou Leary, and Illinois State Police Acting Director Jonathon Monken.

"This event is an important first step in our efforts to craft a long-range plan that addresses issues confronting the criminal justice system in all areas— crime prevention, law enforcement, prosecution, courts, probation, and corrections," said Director Cutrone.

The strategic planning effort will promote proven best practices in preventing crime, ensuring community participation in public safety, utilizing justice reinvestment to reduce corrections spending, and addressing drug abuse and mental illness in the criminal justice system.

At the summit, criminal justice experts will share successful strategies that utilize evidence-based and best practices across multiple justice disciplines, and cross-jurisdictional partnerships to conserve resources and share information.

Successful strategies will be highlighted, including a drug market intervention program in Rockford and Peoria, a Cincinnati initiative to reduce violence, Chicago Police Department's Crisis Intervention Teams, and the Winnebago County Mental Health Court.

"In a time of tightening budgets and federal criminal justice funding uncertainties, we recognized a need for new and successful approaches," Director Cutrone said. "This event will educate participants on the latest policies, practices, and programs in place at local, regional, and national levels that are cost-effective and replicable."

After the summit, participant workgroups will help formulate a strategic plan that develops goals, objectives, and action steps for program funding, legislation and policy development, and research.
This process began in fall 2009, when ICJIA surveyed state and local leaders, criminal justice practitioners, policymakers, and service providers across Illinois to identify the primary challenges and issues facing their agencies or jurisdictions.
ICJIA is dedicated to improving the administration of criminal justice with work in the areas of grants administration, research and analysis, policy and planning, and information systems and technology.

For more information on the initiative, visit www.icjia.state.il.us\strategy2010.