09.29.22

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $15 Million in DOJ Awards to Support Illinois Violence Prevention

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $15,009,020 in Department of Justice (DOJ) awards for violence prevention efforts across Illinois communities. 

“This federal funding will give communities around Illinois additional resources to not only respond to violence, but help prevent these tragedies from happening in the first place,” said Durbin. “Senator Duckworth and I will continue working to secure federal resources that will help create a safer state for all Illinoisans.” 

“Too often, we see Illinoisans struggle with violence in their communities and at home,” Duckworth said. “All families deserve to feel safe—and trauma-informed, community-based and equity-centered treatments and services can help. I’m proud to join Senator Durbin in announcing federal funding to help prevent violence in Illinois and help survivors and families process, heal and thrive.”

The following Illinois agencies and organizations have been awarded FY2022 grants:

1. City of Chicago for BJA FY2022 Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding / Byrne Discretionary Grants Program - $500,000.00

The funds will be used to support Chicago’s Neighborhood Policing Initiative, where officers work directly with community members to resolve crimes and sustain police-community relationships.

2. City of Chicago for the FY2022 Training and Services to End Violence Against Women with Disabilities Awards - $425,000.00

The funds will be used to support organizations that improve the response to individuals with disabilities and Deaf individuals who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and to hold perpetrators of such crimes accountable.

3. Metropolitan Family Services for the FY2022 Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program Awards - $600,000

The funds will be used to increase the availability of criminal legal assistance for adult and youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

4. DePaul University in Chicago for the NIJ FY2022 Funding to Support the Research Assistant Program (RAP) - $58,101.00

The funds will be used to support graduate students and their research on crime, violence, and other criminal justice-related topics.

5. Lawndale Christian Legal Center in Chicago for BJA FY22 Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding / Byrne Discretionary Grants Program - $200,000.00 

The funds will be used to help prevent Black and Brown youth’s contact with the criminal justice system while simultaneously increasing access to social services, education, and employment.

6. Village of University Park for BJA FY2022 Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding / Byrne Discretionary Grants Program - $20,000.00

The funds will be used to purchase 16 body cameras and necessary accessories to ensure the Village's Police Department is upheld to the highest of standards and that our community members and the officers working in University Park are well protected.

7. Jacksonville Area Center for Independent Living for the FY2022 Training and Services to End Violence Against Women with Disabilities Awards - $425,000.00

The funds will be used to support organizations that improve the response to individuals with disabilities and Deaf individuals who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and to hold perpetrators of such crimes accountable.

8. Illinois Department of Human Services for OJJDP FY2021 Title II Formula Grants Program - $1,300,895.00

The funds will be used to ensure Illinois’ state compliance with the four core requirements of the Juvenile Justice Plan, and to promote programs and policies that respond to the developmental needs of youth and support rehabilitation.

9. Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority in Chicago for the BJA FY2022 Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Reallocation Funds Program - $127,984.00

The funds will be used to enter into sub-recipient grant agreements with the Illinois Department of Corrections and the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice for the funding of PREA allowable uses that will allow the facilities to become PREA compliant.

10. Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority in Chicago for the FY2022 State Justice Statistics Program for Statistical Analysis Centers - $228,407.55

The funds will be used to support two projects: a Core Capacity Building project, assessing the possibility of using NIBRS data to provide valid community violence metrics at the local level across the entire state, and a Special Emphasis project, focusing on gender-based violence.

11. Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority in Chicago for the BJA FY2022 Sex Offender and Registration Notification Act (SORNA) Reallocation Program - $255,986.00

The funds will be used to develop the new record management system for the Illinois State Police.

12. Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority in Chicago for the BJA FY2022 Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Program Formula Grant Solicitation - $943,050.00

The funds will be used to reduce disruptive behavior, drug use, and criminal behavior through effective substance abuse treatment programs in prison facilities in Illinois.

13. Illinois Court of Claims in Springfield for the OVC FY2022 VOCA Victim Compensation Formula Grant - $860,000.00

The funds will be used to enhance State Victim Compensation payments to eligible victims of crime.

14. Children’s Home & Aid Society of Illinois for FY2022 Justice for Families Program Awards - $550,000.00

The funds will be used to support the following activities for improving the capacity of courts and communities to respond to families affected by the targeted crimes: court-based and court-related programs; supervised visitation and safe exchange by and between parents; training for people who work with families in the court system civil legal services; and the provision of resources in juvenile court matters.

15. Travelers & Immigrants AID’s Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights in Chicago forBJA FY2022 Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding / Byrne Discretionary Grants Program - $500,000.00 

The funds will be used to collect data research and connect individuals who are at highest risk of gun violence involvement in Chicago’s Austin, Englewood, West Garfield Park, West Englewood, and North Lawndale neighborhoods with employment.

16. Advocate Health and Hospitals Corporation in Downers Grove for BJA FY2022 Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding / Byrne Discretionary Grants Program - $640,000.00 

The funds will be used to develop a new partnership approach, collectively called the Community Engagement for Violence Prevention and Intervention (CEVPI), to understand the social, environmental, and economic conditions that impact violence and to develop and implement community level strategies to prevent it.

17. National Opinion Research Center in Chicago for the FY2022 Census of Public Defender Offices - $999,979.00

The funds will be used to develop and administer the second Census of Public Defender Offices to provide updated national statistics about public defender offices.

18. National Opinion Research Center in Chicago for the FY2022 Census of Tribal Law Enforcement Agencies and Census of Tribal Court Systems - $1,478,757.07

The funds will be used to collect information from tribal law enforcement agencies and justice systems using a core set of questions and an accompanying set of customizable questions that are specific to the type of tribal justice agency.

19. Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority for FY2022 STOP Formula Grant Program - $4,628,391.00

The funds will be used to develop and strengthen law enforcement, prosecution, and court strategies to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services, including community-based, culturally specific services, in cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.

20. Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault for FY2022 State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalition Program - $177,127.00

The funds will be used to provide various assistance to member organizations and programs, including but not limited to: providing training and technical assistance, expand technological capacity, develop or enhance appropriate standards of services, conduct statewide, regional and/or community-based meetings or workshops for victim advocates, survivors, legal service providers, and criminal justice representatives, bring local programs together to identify gaps in services and to coordinate activities, increase the representation of underserved populations in coordination activities, engage in activities that promote coalition-building at the local and/or state level, or coordinate at the federal, state and territory level with judicial or law enforcement agencies to develop or enhance strategies.

21. Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence for FY2022 State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalition Program - $90,342.00

The funds will be used to provide various assistance to member organizations and programs, including but not limited to: providing training and technical assistance, expand technological capacity, develop or enhance appropriate standards of services, conduct statewide, regional and/or community-based meetings or workshops for victim advocates, survivors, legal service providers, and criminal justice representatives, bring local programs together to identify gaps in services and to coordinate activities, increase the representation of underserved populations in coordination activities, engage in activities that promote coalition-building at the local and/or state level, or coordinate at the federal, state and territory level with judicial or law enforcement agencies to develop or enhance strategies.

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