CREST Illinois

CREST Illinois is a project coordinated with the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council to improve the criminal justice system response to domestic violence in communities across Illinois by promoting policy and procedural change, coordinated community response, and cross-training in order to encourage victim safety and offender accountability.

This project has been made possible by a federal grant, the Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Grant Program (ICJR), formerly known as the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (Arrest), through the Office of Violence Against Women at the United State Department of Justice (OVW/DOJ). ICJR is designed to encourage partnerships among state, local, and tribal governments, courts, victim service providers, coalitions, and rape crisis centers, to ensure that sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking are treated seriously, requiring the coordinated involvement of the entire criminal justice system and community-based victim service providers.

In October 2019, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority/IFVCC was awarded the ICJR Grant from OVW/DOJ. The CREST IL Advisory Committee and local FVCCs serving communities statewide provide localized training and technical assistance for the adoption and implementation of the Illinois Model Protocol for Law Enforcement and Prosecution: Responding to Victims of Domestic Violence (DV) and the Illinois Model Protocols for Law Enforcement and Prosecutors: Responding to People with Disabilities and Older Adults (PWDOA) Who Experience Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Abuse, Neglect or Exploitation (the Model Protocols) developed through Arrest grant funding.

In order to successfully execute the goals of the ICJR grant, the CREST IL Advisory Committee provide oversight and technical assistance for the projects approved through this grant and the Local FVCCs as they continue the training, adoption, implementation, and evaluation process for the Model Protocols. Topic-focused, training modules of the protocols, the Responding to People who Experience Domestic Violence Facilitator’s Toolkit, are being developed to accommodate criminal justice professionals’ need for training.

Local Family Violence Coordinating Council Access

Model Protocols

• Illinois Model Protocol for Law Enforcement and Prosecution: Responding to Victims of Domestic Violence

• Illinois Model Protocols for Law Enforcement: Responding to People with Disabilities and Older Adults (PWDOA) Who Experience Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Abuse, Neglect or Exploitation

• Illinois Model Protocols for Prosecutors: Responding to People with Disabilities and Older Adults (PWDOA) Who Experience Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Abuse, Neglect or Exploitation

Module 1: DV Dynamics

• Domestic Violence 101/Domestic Violence Dynamics

• Domestic Violence Traits and Tactics Used by people who Cause Harm

• Trauma

Module 2: Systems Response

• Orders of Protection

• Systems Response/Collaboration

• Perspectives and Stories from People Who Experienced Domestic Violence

• Child Witnesses to Domestic Violence

• Self-Care

Module 3: Cultural Context

• Introduction to Cultural Context Race and Domestic Violence

• LGBTQ+ People wo Experience Domestic Violence

• Immigrant State of People who Experience Domestic Violence

• Adolescent and Young Adult Dating Violence

• Intersection of Domestic Violence and Gang Violence

• PWDOA-People with Disabilities and Older Adults who Experience Domestic Violence-Part 1-Understanding Dynamics

• PWDOA- Part 2-Communication Strategies

• PWDOA-Part 3-Trauma Informed

Module 4: Law Enforcement

• Role of Law Enforcement, Law Enforcement Liability

• Law Enforcement Initial Response and Crime Scene Procedures

• Context Assessment, Identifying Primary Person Causing Harm

• Evidence Collection

• Arrest and Co-Occurring Crimes

• Incident Reports and Documentation

Module5: Prosecution

• Statutory Bail Provisions, Danger, Risk, and Lethality Assessments

• Sources of Cases and Charging Considerations

• Structure and Strategies for Effective Prosecution

• Preparing for Trial

• Subpoenas, Plea negotiations, Dismissals, and Continuances

• Sentencing

Module 6: High Risk Tactics

• Firearms

• Sexual Assault and Domestic violence

• Stalking and Cyberstalking '

• Strangulation and Aggravated Battery

• Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence

Module 7: Facilitation Strategies and Best Practices

• Universal Design

• Online Learning/Facilitation

• Engagement Activities and Relationship Building

• Facilitating Conversations

• Adult Learning tips