FAQs
What jurisdictions are eligible to participate in Adult Redeploy Illinois?
All counties in good standing with the State of Illinois are eligible to apply for funding through Adult Redeploy Illinois to establish or expand local services to divert individuals from the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). Counties may apply for planning and/or implementation grants individually or as a group of counties, such as a judicial circuit. A lead county must be identified as the grantee.What populations are eligible to participate in Adult Redeploy Illinois?
The Crime Reduction Act (Public Act 96-0761) was amended in 2018 to allow Adult Redeploy Illinois funds for services to individuals with any probation-eligible offense (previously only non-violent). There are a number of offenses that disqualify people from alternatives to incarceration based on statute. These disqualifying offenses are listed in the Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS et seq.). Technical parole violators are excluded from the program as they are under IDOC supervision.From the pool of individuals who qualify for alternatives to incarceration, a jurisdiction may want to focus programming on specific populations, e.g., those with substance use disorders or mental health disorders. The strongest proposals for implementation funds will divert the largest number of people from prison without negatively impacting public safety.
How is the program-eligible population for Adult Redeploy Illinois determined and the 25% reduction goal calculated?
The reduction goal is calculated from a baseline number that will be negotiated between the staff of Adult Redeploy Illinois and the jurisdiction based on the agreed-upon definition of the program-eligible population and then approved by the Oversight Board. The baseline number is the average annual number of IDOC commitments from the defined target population from the prior three years for reduction efforts. The baseline number is then multiplied by 25% to arrive at the reduction goal in the number of IDOC admissions from that program-eligible population for the Adult Redeploy Illinois program.What is the penalty if the reduction goal is not met?
As an accountability mechanism, the Crime Reduction Act stipulates that a penalty shall be assessed to a county or judicial circuit that does not meet its reduction goal, resulting in a portion of the grant funds to be reimbursed to the Oversight Board. The intent is for sites to meet their goals; any penalties would follow technical assistance and extensive negotiations between the Oversight Board and the sites.The amount of the penalty assessed will be left to the discretion of the Oversight Board, which shall take into consideration factors affecting the jurisdictions ability to meet the required reduction, including whether the failure to meet the reduction was beyond the control of the jurisdiction or other extenuating or mitigating circumstances. The Oversight Board has set the maximum penalty at no more than one-half of the annual marginal cost of commitment to IDOC for each admission to prison short of the reduction goal. (In FY18, the average annual marginal cost of incarceration was approximately $8,000; hence, the reimbursement to the Oversight Board would not exceed $4,000 per prison admission).
How and when will the performance of local ARI programs be measured to determine if the reduction goal has been met?
In the initial implementation phase, each site will be allowed a ramp-up period to get the program elements in place before performance measurement begins in earnest. Sites will be required to submit data on a regular basis with which to gauge progress toward the reduction goal. At the six-month mark, there will be a status check-in at each site, comparing IDOC commitment numbers to the data submitted by the jurisdictions. The purpose of the check-in will be to identify any problems, negotiate compromises, recommend corrective action, and offer technical assistance. The sites will be assessed on progress towards their reduction goals at the end of the grant period.Program effectiveness will be tracked through an independent evaluation conducted by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA), and through required regular reporting. Evaluation results will be part of the required annual reporting to the Governor and General Assembly per the Crime Reduction Act, and shared with the public and policy makers in an ongoing effort to improve public safety and save taxpayer dollars.
How is Adult Redeploy Illinois funded?
The Adult Redeploy Illinois program was initially funded with state SFY2010 General Revenue Fund (GRF) dollars allocated by Governor Quinn to start up the program. A one-time, multi-year federal grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG), administered by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA), supported the pilot phase of the program, 2010-2013. Adult Redeploy Illinois is currently funded through annual state GRF appropriations through ICJIA: $2 million in SFY2013, $7 million in SFY2014, and currently approximately $10 million.Are there any restrictions on how ARI funds are spent?
Funds shall be used to support a local plan approved by the Oversight Board that is intended to meet the goals of Adult Redeploy Illinois. Adult Redeploy Illinois funds may not be used for capital expenditures, renovations or remodeling. In addition, Adult Redeploy Illinois funds shall not be used to supplant existing county-funded programs.How will the local ARI programs be evaluated?
The Crime Reduction Act calls for a rigorous evaluation process at the program level and the site level with standardized performance measurements to confirm the effectiveness of the services in reducing crime. Specifically the legislation requires the development of a performance measurement system that includes but is not limited to the following key performance indicators, some of which are intentionally focused on the important positive outcomes the program is designed to achieve:- Employment rates
- Successful completion of substance abuse treatment program
- Payment of victim restitution
- Recidivism
- Rate of revocations
Jurisdictions are required to include a performance measurement system as part of their local plan and to provide data annually for evaluation purposes. In addition, researchers from ICJIA guide ongoing evaluation of the program.
Can ARI as an initiative be used to expand or create problem-solving courts, such as drug and mental health courts?
Yes. Some jurisdictions are using the Adult Redeploy Illinois program as an opportunity to create or expand existing drug and other problem-solving courts. Funds can be used to increase staff for the program and boost the capacity of local service providers.Can ARI implementation funds be used for court services staff?
Adult Redeploy Illinois implementation funds can be used for example to hire additional probation officers or pay probation officers to work on the ARI program (as long as their previous positions are back-filled). Funds can also be used to retain probation officer positions that would otherwise be eliminated due to budget cuts, etc.Who makes the funding decisions?
The members of the Adult Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board are designated by law. The Oversight Board includes representatives from state agencies, local probation departments and community-based organizations, and is co-chaired by the Director of the Department of Corrections and the Secretary of the Department of Human Services. The Oversight Board is charged with increasing effective alternatives to incarceration and building community capacity.
How do jurisdictions apply for funds?
Opportunities to apply for planning and/or implementation grants are announced periodically, as funds are available. The application process developed by the ARI Oversight Board includes:
- Initial planning grant phase: Funding to convene stakeholders and analyze data over a 90-120-day period.
- Completion of local plan using Standard Local Plan Template, submitted to the Oversight Board for approval.
- Site implementation grant phase: Competitive grants for up to 12 months of implementation, and renewable annually for up to three years.
- Performance measurement of progress toward goal of 25 percent reduction in prison commitments from eligible target population.
Local plans are reviewed and applications for implementation funding are scored according to completeness and accuracy with respect to the following elements:
- Executive summary
- Description of and justification for the target population
- Description of multi-disciplinary team involved in planning and implementation
- Description of gaps in sanctions and services
- Description of the proposed Adult Redeploy Illinois program model
- Timeline
- Budget