Alysson Gatens

The Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act created the Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) program, which reinvests a portion of cannabis tax revenue into communities experiencing high rates of gun injury, unemployment, child poverty, and incarceration. These grant funds support programming in five priority areas: civil legal aid, economic development, reentry services, violence prevention services, and youth development. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, researchers conducted site-specific process evaluations on the implementation and operations of select R3 grantees. Data sources varied by site, but included observations, interviews, surveys, focus groups, and administrative data. Overall, researchers found that 1) programs valued the needs and input of the communities they served and tailored services to meet those needs; 2) programs faced implementation delays due to funding administration and COVID-19 challenges; 3) programs varied greatly in terms of data collection and evaluation capacity; 4) assessment and planning programs successfully brought together relevant stakeholders and service delivery programs were typically successful in meeting goals for clients served. This article summarizes a larger report that further details the process evaluations.

The Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act created the Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) program, which reinvests a portion of cannabis tax revenue into communities experiencing high rates of gun injury, unemployment, child poverty, and incarceration. These grant funds support programming in five priority areas: civil legal aid, economic development, reentry services, violence prevention services, and youth development. This report details site-specific process evaluations on the implementation and operations of select R3 grantees throughout Illinois. Researchers utilized a mixed methods approach and varied data sources by evaluation site. These sources included observations, interviews, surveys, focus groups, and administrative data. Overall, researchers found that 1) programs valued the needs and input of the communities they served and tailored services to meet those needs; 2) programs faced implementation delays due to funding administration and COVID-19 challenges; 3) programs varied greatly in terms of data collection and evaluation capacity; 4) assessment and planning programs successfully brought together relevant stakeholders and service delivery programs were typically successful in meeting goals for clients served.

While many civil legal issues are critical matters related to housing, health, and safety, the U.S. legal system does not guarantee access to civil legal assistance and representation. Civil legal aid organizations provide services to individuals who either cannot afford to pay for civil legal assistance or experience other barriers to access. This article summarizes the findings of a survey of civil legal aid service providers in Illinois regarding the operations of their organizations and challenges they face. Overall, respondents reported a great need for the services they provide and offered important context for barriers they experience in delivering those services.

The Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) program was created through the legalization of adult recreational cannabis use in Illinois. Program funds are used to reduce gun violence through intervention and prevention, improve re-entry and diversion services for people involved with the criminal justice system, provide access to legal representation and advice, encourage investment and economic growth, enhance youth development, and support programs that improve the social determinants of health. The current report details the R3 program implementation process (including grantmaking, grant review, and funding) during the program’s inaugural period of performance, June 25, 2019 to January 31, 2022. During the first round of funding, the R3 program received over 400 applications and funded 80 community-based programs.

The nature of police work may at times involve stressful situations such as the threat of, and actual, physical harm and witnessing the human toll of violence. The stress of the job combined with organizational stressors may severely impact police officers and their work. Stress can lead to substance misuse and disorders, trauma, and suicide. Police departments can address officer stress through interventions, such as counseling, peer support groups, and stress management training. This article summarizes literature on the effects of police officer stress and trauma. Police officers that embrace active coping styles may be better able to handle stress.

Due to the intense nature of police work, officers may experience stress-related psychological health problems. Mental health stigmas, masculine police culture that is aversive to change, fears of lack of confidentiality, and time commitment concerns create barriers to police willingness to seek treatment for stress-related issues. Nevertheless, many departments provide services to address these issues, such as counseling, peer support, and critical incident stress debriefing. In addition, police training helps officers recognize symptoms of stress and develop resilience to stress. Research shows officers are more likely to seek treatment when they feel encouraged and supported by their departments, so it is important to cultivate a police environment that does not stigmatize mental health.

Illinois’ firearm restraining orders, known in other states as “red flag laws” or “extreme risk protection orders,” are civil orders that temporarily remove firearms from individuals who are a potential danger to themselves or others. These laws aim to prevent firearm injury through a removal of means from persons experiencing a temporary crisis. Data suggest firearm restraining orders have been infrequently employed in Illinois since the law’s enactment in 2019. Nationally, initial research suggests that these types of laws are associated with reductions in firearm suicide. However, national findings have not conclusively shown a significant reduction in firearm assaults attributable to these laws. As the majority of these laws have been passed relatively recently, more research is needed as data become available on their usage and outcomes.

Losing a loved one to homicide can be traumatizing for family and friends, often referred to as survivors. These survivors may need emotional, social, and financial support, as well as guidance through the criminal justice system process. Several organizations have emerged to address survivors’ needs. We examined Chicago Survivors, a Chicago-based organization, to learn about program development, obtain feedback from program stakeholders, and identify barriers to program implementation and service delivery. We conducted semi-structured interviews with program staff, partners, and clients and analyzed administrative program data. We found Chicago Survivors was a reliable agency providing valuable emotional and practical support to clients. We also offer suggestions for programmatic improvement.

Civil legal aid organizations provide free legal representation and other services on civil court matters to low-income individuals. While research indicates clients who receive civil legal aid often have more favorable outcomes, these organizations face many barriers to providing assistance that efficiently meets the diverse needs of their clients. This article provides an overview of civil legal aid, with a focus on Illinois where applicable, and discusses challenges and innovations in provision of civil legal services.

Police departments continually adopt new technology to improve how they investigate and solve crime. Acoustic gunshot detection systems (AGDs) such as ShotSpotter use sound sensors to locate gunshots in a community, improve response times, determine how many shooters are in an area, and identify the types of firearms being used. This article features a literature review on AGDs. Limited research has shown AGDs are reliable in detecting shots fired, but less is known on whether the systems contribute to a reduction in gun crime.

Research suggests violence against women is a leading cause of U.S. homelessness and housing instability for women and their children. Transitional housing programs offer stable housing to women and their children who have been harmed by violence. Researchers conducted a process evaluation of three Illinois transitional housing programs. Overall, the study revealed the programs provided a vital service to victims and staff and client statements reflected positively on the program. The study highlighted areas for program enhancement, including offering more education on tenant rights; expansion and engagement of victims; funding for additional services, such as food assistance, transportation, and childcare; and increased program awareness.

Driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) is a persistent but preventable problem that creates a risk of injury or death for all individuals on the road. This article provides an overview of policies to prevent and reduce alcohol-impaired driving, an analysis of related data from Illinois, and a review of existing research on interventions to combat driving under the influence. Researchers found the number of DUI arrests and alcohol-related fatal accidents in Illinois have remained stable or decreased in the past decade. However, further research is needed to fully understand the impact of law enforcement efforts and new technology to address alcohol-impaired driving.

Evaluation in criminal justice is vital to improving program effectiveness, increasing efficiency, and improving public safety. This article helps demystify the evaluation process and offers practical advice for practitioners endeavoring to evaluate a program. Processes for internal evaluation and external evaluation partnerships are described. Criminal justice practitioners are encouraged to understand the research process and conduct evaluations of their programs and practices.

Law enforcement agencies in Illinois and across the country are seeking ways to increase the safety and efficacy of interactions between officers and individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Researchers conducted a statewide survey to learn more about how police and sheriff’s departments respond to mental health crisis incidents. This article describes responding departments’ policies and procedures to handle mental health crises in their jurisdictions and community resources available to help them address individuals’ mental health needs. Researchers found that mental health crises are a main concern of law enforcement in their communities, with a majority of respondents employing a specialized response to handle such incidents. Recommendations for policy and future research are discussed.

This brief shares findings from a process evaluation of a program that treats women prisoners in Illinois with co-occurring disorders—substance use and mental health disorders. Overall, feedback from clients and staff were positive and the program showed reductions in clients’ posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and aggression after participation. In addition, researchers offer suggestions to improve the program’s physical space, as well as enhance program components and data collection.

This article provides an overview of the main issues driving a renewed focus on pretrial detention, the effects of overuse of pretrial detention, and potential areas of reform with a focus on Illinois law and practices when possible. Illinois has made some progress in pretrial reform including the passing of a Bail Reform Act which became effective in 2018. However, more data and research is needed in the area of pretrial practices.

Excessive opioid prescribing increases exposure to those drugs and increases their volume in communities. Over-prescribing has been associated with growing rates of opioid use disorder, overdose, and death. Opioid prescription rates are relatively low in Illinois compared to other states; however, prescription rates varies greatly by county, city, and medical practitioner. This article summarizes Illinois opioid prescription data from the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program.

As many as 10 percent of police contacts involve individuals with mental health conditions. A growing number of police and sheriff’s departments have implemented specialized responses to mental health crisis incidents, including crisis intervention teams. Research indicates departments offering specialized responses show greater officer knowledge of mental health conditions and more positive police attitudes toward individuals with mental health conditions. This article examines specialized mental health responses with an emphasis on practices in Illinois and offers implications for future research and practice.