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Fatal opioid overdoses continue to break historical records. Stigma toward people with opioid use disorder (OUD) can negatively impact treatment access, retention, and recovery. Attitudes and beliefs of police officers can profoundly shape key discretionary decisions. Therefore, we examined police officer views indicating stigma toward those with OUD. We administered an online survey...

In the United States, firearm homicide is a major public health concern. Certain populations are at greater risk for being a victim of firearm homicide, such as those with prior criminal justice involvement. The overlap between violent victimization and offense history, referred to as the victim-offender overlap, is empirically supported,...

States and localities across the United States have implemented overdose fatality review teams to address the impact of the opioid crisis on their communities. Overdose fatality review teams are designed to increase cross-system collaboration among various public safety, public health, and social service agencies; identify missed opportunities and system gaps;...

Police encounter individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) during their routine work and are often called to the scene of overdoses. Despite this frequency, officer knowledge and attitudes about addiction, treatment, and harm reduction vary. Views held by officers, and the extent of their knowledge, can impact the decisions they...

Jessica Reichert is a highly accomplished and experienced researcher in criminology. With over two decades of experience, she had made significant contributions through her work at the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, where she serves as a Senior Research Scientist and Manager of the Center for Justice Research and Evaluation....

This article addresses data privacy issues as they relate to multi-system collaborations for pre-arrest deflection into treatment and services for those suffering from a substance use disorder. The authors explore how the United States’ data privacy regulations pose barriers to collaboration and care coordination, as well as how data privacy...

Police frequently encounter people with opioid use disorder (OUD), having a profound effect on their risk environment and health outcomes. Officers retain significant discretionary authority in their response to these encounters. To explore the factors that underlie these decisions, we surveyed a sample of Illinois police officers. We administered an...

In this study, researchers analyzed Illinois jail and prison deaths that occurred between January 2020 and February 2021 to determine COVID-19 mortality among incarcerated populations pre-vaccine availability. They found over 40% of the 242 deaths occurring in Illinois correctional facilities during that time were COVID-19-related. Most of these deaths occurred...

Diversion programs have emerged as an alternative to the traditional criminal justice system, particularly for non-violent offenses. The Supporting Education and Employment Development (SEED) program is a 13-month pre-plea deferred-prosecution program, which aims to serve emerging adults, aged 18-26, charged with Delivery or Intent to Deliver in Cook County, Illinois....

This report describes findings from a multi-site evaluation of law enforcement deflection. The authors describe how six programs were implemented and identify key program facilitators and barriers. The authors conducted outcome analyses of two programs which included the A Way Out Program in Lake County, Illinois.

Due to the high number of Americans with substance use disorders and the opioid crisis, many law enforcement departments are rethinking how they address the needs of people with substance use issues. With police-based deflection programs, police officers make referrals to substance use disorder treatment and other services. The research...

The Illinois Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Strategic Plan for 2024-2029 outlines a comprehensive framework to enhance criminal justice practices in Illinois. The plan emphasizes evidence-based strategies to address key issues within the justice system. The strategic plan was developed with input from a diverse group of stakeholders,...

Employment is an important factor in successful community reintegration after prison release and is associated with lower rates of recidivism. To examine employment following release from Illinois prisons, we matched state prison records to state employment data. Our sample was made up of 4,430 persons who exited prison in 2018...

Over 20 million Americans have substance use disorders and many are in need of treatment and other social services. Police often encounter persons with behavioral health needs and can deflect, or refer, individuals to service providers without making an arrest. This evaluation examined the action planning process of a police-based...

Section 8.10a of the Housing Authorities Act requires all Illinois public housing programs to collect and report to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) data on an annual basis. Data include applications for federally assisted housing, criminal history records checks of applicants, criminal records assessment hearings, and denials for...

Over 1 million Americans are victims of violent crime each year and many need assistance. Police often encounter victims and can deflect, or refer, individuals to treatment and services and away from emergency department care, crisis services, and potential justice system involvement. This evaluation examined the virtual action planning process...

Many students struggle with mental health issues. Training on mental health is one way for schools to equip personnel with the tools needed to help and support students. We evaluated Youth Mental Health First Aid training offered to Illinois K-12 public school personnel, including school administrators, teachers, nurses, and other...

The Housing Authorities Act (310 ILCS 10/8.10a) requires all Illinois public housing authorities to collect and report annually to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA). Housing authorities are to report on applications for federally assisted housing, applicants with criminal records, denials based on criminal records, and hearings requested by...

Millions of individuals and families are affected by substance use disorders and overdose in the United States. Deflection programs provide an opportunity for law enforcement to connect individuals with substance use challenges to appropriate treatment and services to improve health and public safety outcomes. We evaluated the efforts of community...

Persons reentering the community after prison face many obstacles that have been shown to reduce recidivism, such as securing employment. Like many states, Illinois operates work release centers allowing prisoners nearing the end of their sentence to work in the community and stay in the correctional facility when not working....

The Housing Authorities Act (310 ILCS 10/8.10a) requires all Illinois public housing authorities to collect and report annually to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA). Housing authorities are to report on applications for federally assisted housing, applicants with criminal records, denials based on criminal records, and hearings...

Nearly one in six U.S. children have been diagnosed with a mental disorder. Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, youth mental health has been declared a national emergency. Schools are at the forefront of youth interventions to promote positive mental health and address mental health concerns. One intervention model includes training...

Section 8.10a of the Housing Authorities Act requires all Illinois public housing programs to collect and report data to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) on an annual basis. Data include applications for federally assisted housing, criminal history records checks of applicants, criminal records assessment hearings, and denials for...

Law enforcement-led deflection programs redirect individuals with behavioral health or other needs to treatment and services. The field of deflection is still relatively new and practitioners are still developing best practices to train program staff and stakeholders. We evaluated the Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC) Deflection Academy, a five-day...

Gun violence is a persistent and concerning issue across the country and the state of Illinois. In communities with high levels of gun violence, individuals may carry guns for protection. These individuals may never intend to, or actually, fire them; however, if arrested for possession, they may face a felony...

Court diversion programs for individuals convicted for drug crimes have been found to reduce recidivism and be cost effective. Some courts have established programs offering alternative sentencing and specialized programming for persons convicted of felony drug offenses. We conducted a process evaluation of a court diversion program for individuals charged...

A focus group is a qualitative research method for collecting information through group discussions. Focus group planning includes determining roles, recruiting participants, and preparing to facilitate discussions. This article is a guide to successful and efficient focus group execution, analysis, and reporting. Ultimately, focus group findings can offer insights on...

The 2021 Illinois Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act enacts extensive reform impacting many areas of the criminal justice system, including pre-arrest diversion, policing, pretrial, sentencing, and corrections. The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority is tasked with implementing several of the Act’s provisions. These areas of the Act include...

Police officers often encounter people with substance use disorders and in need of treatment. Police pre-arrest diversion or “deflection” programs allow police departments to refer individuals to treatment, steering them away from traditional criminal justice system processing. This preliminary outcome evaluation examined A Way Out (AWO), a program in Lake...

Diversion programming can be offered by law enforcement and the courts to individuals as option to redirect them from further criminal justice system processing. The Illinois Criminal Diversion Racial Impact Data Collection Act of 2017 sought to provide a mechanism to gather statewide data on the race and ethnicity of...

Securing employment after exiting prison can be challenging, but some reentry programs seek to help formerly incarcerated individuals gain employment. One type of program provides entrepreneurship training to help individuals open their own small business. ICJIA researchers conducted an outcome evaluation of an entrepreneurship program in Cook County Illinois, Pathway...

The U.S. overdose crisis has motivated police departments to enact policies allowing officers to directly deflect individuals to substance use disorder treatment and other services shown to reduce recidivism and subsequent overdose risk, as well as refer people who voluntarily present at police facilities with a desire for treatment. As a...

The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique challenges for the criminal justice system. Despite statewide social distancing and stay-in-place orders, criminal justice practitioners and victim service providers must, to some extent, continue to directly interact with justice-involved individuals, victims, and others. This article describes some of the challenges criminal justice system practitioners...

Criminal justice systems operating in rural areas have been overlooked and under-researched, creating an emphasis on urban criminal justice system knowledge and recommendations. In addition, many rural areas have fewer social and behavioral health services, longer travel distances for service appointments and corresponding transportation issues, a small pool of criminal...

Individuals on probation often are subject to drug testing regardless of conviction offenses. Positive test results can lead to probation sanctions, technical violations, and revocations, which, for some, may result in a period of incarceration. Probation departments operate with lack of guidance on drug testing, as well as a lack...

The use of drug testing is pervasive in community supervision requiring probationers to regularly submit to urine drug testing. Positive drug tests may result in sanctions, technical violations, probation revocations, and even prison sentences. However, experts in addiction medicine recommend testing be used to support recovery rather than to exact...

A significant amount of police engagement involves persons with multiple service needs, such as substance use treatment or mental health services. Deflection allows officers and first responders the discretion to refer individuals to service providers without making an arrest. This evaluation examined the action planning process for a multijurisdictional police-led...

There are over 3 million persons on probation in this country and many struggle with both maintaining recovery from substance use disorders and obtaining secure housing. However, stable housing for those on probation in recovery can potentially reduce relapse and recidivism. We examined recovery housing needs from the perspectives of...

The number of opioid overdose deaths has risen significantly in the United States since 2009. Naloxone is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a safe and effective antidote to opioid overdose. Public support for equipping law enforcement officers (LEOs) with naloxone has increased in the past decade....

Mass incarceration in the United States has disproportionately impacted racial and ethnic minorities, particularly those residing in concentrated urban areas. In Illinois, almost half of individuals returning from prison are released in Chicago; of those, about half return to neighborhoods on the city’s West and South sides. Research has found...

Technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace and touches all facets of modern life including law enforcement’s role in public safety. Police agencies have adopted many law enforcement technologies to improve response times, aid in investigating and solving crime, and enhance transparency. This literature review describes common types of...

U.S. veterans have made significant contributions to American freedom and many have risked their lives to defend the country. Some suffer a range of poor physical and behavioral health outcomes upon returning to civilian life, putting them at greater risk for criminal justice involvement. Military veterans comprise a small but...

The special issue of the Journal for Advancing Justice featured papers that reflect critical issues in the emerging field of law enforcement deflection and prearrest diversion programs (hereafter collectively referred to as deflection). Deflection is a collaborative intervention connecting public safety (e.g., police, sheriffs) and public health systems to create...

Repeated and deadly encounters between law enforcement officers and Black Americans have given way to mounting calls for police reform. Reformers have proposed reallocating funds from policing to communities and social services, rethinking police use of force policies, and improving measures for officer accountability. This literature review briefly describes the...

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...

Jurisdictions across the United States are seeing a reduction in reported crime and arrests coinciding with COVID-19. This article offers a preliminary look at arrest trends during the COVID-19 pandemic across Illinois. Researchers examined arrest data from the Illinois State Police Criminal History Record Information database to identify arrest trends prior to...

Researchers use interviewing as a qualitative tool to answer research questions. Researchers have an ethical obligation to protect study participants from harm, particularly when asking about sensitive topics. Interviews on potentially sensitive topics (e.g., victimization, criminal offending behaviors, substance use) can elicit emotional responses from both the participant...

Firearms prohibitors are factors which prohibit a person from transferring or possessing a firearm or firearm ammunition as outlined in the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. The Firearm Prohibitors and Records Improvement Task Force is responsible for researching available funding opportunities for entities required to report firearms prohibitors. This includes,...

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....

Some individuals on probation who have opioid use disorders (OUDs) cannot access effective, FDA-approved medications-methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone-to treat their disorders. This article shared finding from a survey of 26 Illinois probation department directors on how probation departments respond to clients with OUDs, focusing on the barriers to accessing OUD...

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...

Formerly incarcerated individuals may be unable to secure stable employment and struggle to acquire income; however, opening a small business may offer this population an alternative to the traditional job market. Researchers evaluated the Pathway to Enterprise for Returning Citizens (PERC) program, which offered training in entrepreneurship and other resources...

The relationship between victimization and offending, also referred to as the victim-offender overlap, is widely documented. While crime victims do not always become offenders, most offenders have been victims. The victimization experience can produce negative physical, mental, and behavioral outcomes in individuals and some may go on to commit their...

Nearly one-third of Illinois probationers suffer from an opioid use disorder (OUD). Despite evidence that FDA-approved medications methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone can effectively treat OUD, many probation departments do not allow their clients to use them, even when prescribed by a healthcare provider. ICJIA researchers surveyed probation departments across the...

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,...

This article explores the use of randomized control trials (RCTs) to test criminal justice programs to measure effectiveness. BetaGov is a group that offers assistance to practitioners and researchers to conduct RCTs. An example of such a collaboration between ICJIA and Betagov is offered along with lessons learned.

Even with substantial efforts at the state and local levels, opioid overdoses in Illinois continue to rise. Many in jails and prisons suffer from opioid use disorders and some receive treatment. Upon release, the risk of overdose is enhanced due to reduced tolerance. This article presents findings from a survey...

The criminal justice system features multiple independent agencies working parallel to each other. Criminal justice coordinating councils foster agency collaboration to better address county criminal justice issues. This article describes criminal justice coordinating councils and examines the limited research available on their implementation and effectiveness.

This article offers an overview of state and national homelessness including prevalence and causes of homelessness, criminal justice system contacts with the homeless, and recommendations to address homelessness with a focus on justice-involved populations.

Gun violence continues to be a major criminal justice and public health issue. This article provides an overview of one strategy to reduce gun violence—focused deterrence. The strategy has been employed in many major U.S. cities, including in Illinois in Chicago, Peoria, and Rockford. Overall research on focused deterrence strategies...

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...

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...

Media—in particular news coverage—contribute toward shaping public understanding and opinion on societal issues, and influence policies, programs, and legislative action. While a small number of previous studies have explored journalists' reporting on other social issues, very little is known about their perceptions and knowledge of human trafficking. In this exploratory...

Drug trafficking constitutes a major threat to public health and community well-being. Multi-jurisdictional drug task forces, comprised of law enforcement officers in one or more counties that agree to pool resources, were designed to combat drug distribution and trafficking. Researchers evaluated 19 drug task forces in Illinois using quantitative and...

First responders across the country are carrying and administering naloxone, successfully reversing countless overdose deaths. However, experiencing a revival isn't always a deterrent for those suffering with opioid use disorder, as many continue to use, experience repeated overdoses, and repeatedly come into contact with local law enforcement. Some police officers...

An increasing number of widely publicized and divisive incidents between police and citizens suggest a need for police policies and practices to improve procedural justice. Procedural justice emphasizes the need for police to demonstrate their legitimacy to the public in four areas—voice, transparency, fairness, and impartiality. This article explains...

Researchers conducted a process evaluation of Safe Passage, a police deflection model in which police departments become a referral point to treatment for individuals with substance use disorders. Through the model, individuals can walk into any participating police department and request and receive treatment without fear of arrest. In Illinois,...

Seeking to more effectively help individuals suffering from opioid use disorder, police departments across the country are embracing a deflection model that offers treatment access to those in need. Researchers interviewed representatives of seven law enforcement agencies employing treatment program models in Illinois to better understand operations, leverage lessons learned,...

Although there have been documented declines in U.S. crime rates in past decades, recent news headlines in Chicago often highlight incidents of, and concerns about, violence, particularly gun violence. Prior research has noted fear of crime in urban neighborhoods is associated with physical deterioration, as well as social disorganization and...

The prevalence of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is higher among individuals in prison and jail than in the general population. Research has shown a connection between trauma and criminality due in part to the coping mechanisms of aggression and substance misuse after a traumatic event. While the corrections...

Research has found nearly all prisoners have experienced a traumatic event in their life and a high proportion suffer from PTSD. Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority and WestCare Foundation (Illinois) researchers surveyed 573 Illinois prisoners to understand the trauma they experienced and explore the relationship between trauma and substance misuse....

There is a national opioid epidemic and one intervention to help those suffering from an opioid use disorder (OUD) is medication-assisted treatment (MAT). MAT is the use of medications in conjunction with behavioral therapy as part of a long-term treatment regimen. There are three main MAT medications used today—methadone, buprenorphine,...

While more than half of individuals incarcerated in U.S. jails and prisons meet the diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder, little is known about their misuse of prescription drugs. In this study, Authority researchers, in collaboration with WestCare Foundation Illinois, surveyed 573 state prisoners on prescription drug use to...

Synthetic drug use is a growing public health concern. Synthetics are often cheaper and more readily available than cannabis and amphetamines, making them attractive alternatives to other illicit drugs. In addition, the chemical formulas for these drugs are constantly changing, making them difficult to regulate, and their detection is limited...

Police administrators across the country are recognizing the need to connect individuals with whom they come into contact in the community to evidence-based treatment to better address the large social and economic burden of substance use disorders (SUD), a chronic and relapsing condition. Police frequently encounter substance using individuals and...

During stages of ongoing, yet incomplete, cognitive development, youth may be more inclined to take risks and experiment with drugs and alcohol and are often heavily influenced by their peers, leading to negative outcomes. Nationally and in Illinois, traditionally high drug use categories of marijuana and alcohol appear to be...

More than 500,000 individuals are released from prison each year. As they return to their communities, they face obstacles in finding employment and housing, as well as significant debt, outstanding fines, and restitution payments. Two-thirds of this population are arrested again within three years. St. Leonard's House in Chicago offers...

Opioid and heroin use is surging in Illinois communities and across the country with dramatic increases in the number of users and deaths by overdose. Communities, criminal justice practitioners, and public health professionals are struggling to help those suffering from opioid use disorders and, ultimately, save lives. This article...

In 2014, the Reentry Program, one of three components of Illinois' Community Violence Prevention Program (CVPP) receiving funds through the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, provided services to youth and young adults on parole and aftercare in 21 Chicago area communities in order to assist with their compliance with parole...

Satisfaction with the criminal justice system often reflects the opinions of the public rather than that of the offender. When probation clients are able to provide feedback in a meaningful way, they are less marginalized and alienated from a process attempting to make changes in their behavior and attitudes. Authority...

In Illinois, the distribution of controlled substances is a significant problem and task forces were created to combat the distribution of controlled substances at the local level. This study sought to understand the extent of the drug problem in the jurisdictions covered by each drug task force. Authority researchers surveyed...

Jails in the United States house large numbers of detainees who have urgent public and behavioral healthcare needs as well as various serious social, economic, and personal problems. Jails are often the primary (or only) settings for medical, psychiatric, and substance abuse treatment.

Growing public support for prison reform has brought attention to community-based supervision alternatives, including intensive supervision probation for offenders who are at significant risk of being incarcerated. Researchers examined four intensive supervision probation with services programs supported by Adult Redeploy Illinois for fidelity to the evidence-based service model.

Urban violence is a major public health concern and at epidemic levels in some neighborhoods, directly impacting the mental health of its residents (Morris, n.d.). The rate of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among urban populations is estimated to be around 31 percent, higher than the PTSD rate among returning Iraq...

Drug courts emerged in the 1990s to address serious drug offending while improving offender outcomes and reducing incarceration costs. Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority researchers examined drug courts funded by Adult Redeploy Illinois (ARI) in five counties. Data to measure the 10 key components was collected after 18 months of...

More than 2.4 million people are confined in correctional facilities across the United States. Each year, more than half a million inmates are released from prison and return to their communities. The formerly incarcerated face many obstacles as they reenter the community, such as finding employment and housing, and paying...

Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority researchers conducted an evaluation of the Community Violence Prevention Program's Youth Employment Program. The program, which ended in August 2014, sought to increase job readiness skills, build relationships with a caring adult, improve attitudes toward employment and violence, increase self-esteem and conflict resolution skills,...

Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority researchers conducted an evaluation of the Community Violence Prevention Program's (CVPP) Parent Program. The program, which ended August 2014, sought to increase protective factors to reduce child maltreatment by employing and training nearly 1,000 Chicago-area parents to lead service projects to help other parents in...

More than 2.4 million people are confined in the U.S. in state and federal prisons, juvenile corrections, and jails. Each year, more than half a million individuals are released from prison and return to their communities. After leaving prison, offenders with criminal records face obstacles such as difficulty finding...

Adult Redeploy Illinois (ARI) applies evidence-based, data-driven, and result-oriented strategies to curb prison overcrowding and enhance public safety. Since 2010, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (Authority) has administered grant funding for ARI and offered research, evaluation, and technical assistance to the program.

Problem-solving courts have operated as separate courts or dockets as an alternative to adjudication or incarceration for more than 20 years. These programs offer clients court accountability, intensive supervision, drug testing, and treatment for substance use disorders, mental health conditions, and other issues. Drug, mental health, domestic violence, and veteran's...