Statewide Violence Prevention Plan: 2020-2024
We are currently wrapping up our 2020-2024 Violence Prevention Plan work and will soon be releasing reports and related documents on this website. Please check back for updates! We are also drafting the new 2025-2029 Statewide Violence Prevention Plan; this new plan will be released in the summer of 2024! If you are interested in helping draft this plan or in joining a violence prevention plan workgroup, please email Dr. Garthe for more information (rcgarthe@illinois.edu).

Statewide Violence Prevention Plan: 2020-2024

Review of Programs and Strategies, Needs Assessment of Violence in Illinois, and Recommendations for Funding

Written by: Rachel Garthe, Doug Smith, Shawn Freeman | Updated: June 8, 2021 School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Executive Summary

Violence remains a public health crisis and a leading cause of death for individuals in Illinois. However, research and evidence-based practices have taught us is that violence can be prevented. Violence prevention efforts seek to decrease vulnerability (i.e., factors that place individuals at a higher risk for violence) and increase resiliency (i.e., factors that protect individuals from violence) through various strategies. These evidence-based strategies can include supporting the healthy development of families, providing high quality education, focusing on positive youth development, creating and sustaining protective communities, and intervening and supporting those impacted by violence (David-Ferdon, 2016).

The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) aims to continue funding and supporting violence prevention efforts across the state. This report was written in efforts to inform ICJIA’s violence prevention planning for 2020-2024. An important step in planning is to conduct a thorough needs assessment (i.e., What is the problem? What are the solutions that can be strengthened or implemented?) Therefore, this report aimed to address these key questions in this planning phase:

  • What is the prevalence of violence across and within Illinois?
  • What groups are at highest and disproportionate risk?
  • What efforts are already happening?
  • Where should we target efforts?

We obtained and analyzed various data sources and reports, presenting these findings back to a group of state and community violence prevention stakeholders, leaders, providers, and researchers (referred to as the violence prevention planning group). By beginning to answer these key questions within this report, ICJIA can most effectively target funding opportunities and make sure future prevention efforts are aligned with need. This consolidation, collection, and analysis of data allowed the planning group to write five violence prevention goals for ICJIA funding. These overarching goals include:

Goal #1
Stop Violence and Promote Safety
The ability to live without fear of harm is a fundamental human right and essential to individual, family, and community development and success.
Goal #2
Support Children, Youth, and Families by Emphasizing Programs that Foster Social Connectedness and Belonging
Increase the quantity and quality of programs that emphasize healthy and nonviolent relationships.
Goal #3
Advance Equity
Address systemic equities by increasing access to grants and other economic opportunities.
Goal #4
Support Health
Violence prevention programming should build, support, and sustain mentally and physically strong individuals, families, and communities.
Goal #5
Promote Collaboration across State, Municipal, and Community-Based Agencies
Violence prevention efforts should occur through coordinated, cross-sector collaborations, using research and data.
Another theme that emerged from the planning meetings is that there needs to be more connection and collaboration across sectors. For example, for the state to prevent violence more effectively, there needs to be more coordination, productive collaborations, and consolidated efforts. The plan includes goals and strategies for how to continue building and expanding collaborative violence prevention efforts.

This report also details information from the needs assessment and review of existing programs, both of which informed the goals for ICJIA funding. We summarize some of the key take-aways here (the full write-ups of these analyses and reviews can be found in the Appendices).

Notably, this is one of the first statewide plans that reviews and consolidates the many different forms of violence, including child maltreatment (e.g., abuse, neglect), youth violence (e.g., bullying, cyberbullying, dating and sexual violence, physical fighting, weapon carrying), juvenile violence offenses that resulted in detention, adult violent offenses (including arrests and convictions), gun violence, intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and adverse childhood experiences. The report includes additional data from specific groups of individuals such as incarcerated women, parents and caregivers, and older adults. We analyzed publicly available data and obtained data from numerous sources to write a thorough and inclusive needs assessment.

Some of the key findings from the needs assessment include:

Across most forms of violence, Illinois had higher rates of violence compared to the rate in the United States. Specifically, in Illinois:
  • About 1 in 4 youth reported experiencing bullying in the past year
  • About 1 in 5 youth reported engaging in physical fighting in the past year
  • An estimated 1 in 3 women experience sexual violence or violent victimization by an intimate partner in their lifetime

Some of the groups at highest risk for violence include racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender minorities. Disparities were also seen within community types and counties (see Appendices for specific rates).

  • Black youth and adults experienced disproportionately high rates of juvenile detention and adult arrests and convictions for violent offenses.
  • The firearm death rate was highest among Black adults compared to White and Hispanic adults.
  • Adolescents who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other diverse gender identities reported higher rates of victimization compared to their non-LGBTQIA peers.
Also, youth who experienced violence were at a significantly higher risk for depressive feelings, suicidal ideation, and substance use, compared to those who had not experienced violence.

Several gaps in the existing data were identified by the violence prevention planning group, including hearing from violence prevention and intervention staff. To address this gap, we surveyed 130 violence prevention and intervention staff about their perceptions of violence prevention efforts and collaborations, as well as gaps and resources within their communities.

Some of the key findings include:

  • Although staff felt that violence was a concern to families and community residents, they perceived that violence was less of a concern to community leaders and community elected officials.
  • Staff perceived that only about 1 in 3 providers across the state are knowledgeable about evidence-based violence prevention programs.
  • Staff perceived individual (e.g., social skills) and relational (e.g., family relationships) factors to be of high importance in preventing violence. However, many of them felt their communities were not adequately addressing these important factors.

Another gap in the existing data was hearing from adult residents and their experiences with violence prevention programs, adverse childhood experiences, and mental health and trauma. So, we surveyed 712 adult residents across the state around these topics.

Some of the key findings include:

  • About 41% of adult residents were aware of organizations or programs in their community that addressed the needs of individuals who experienced violence or trauma.
  • 63% of adult residents reported experiencing at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE) and 29% had experienced four or more ACEs. Experiencing ACEs was associated with greater levels of depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress symptoms.
  • Across ACEs, Black or African American adults experienced the highest levels of adversity.

This report also highlights the exceptional work of organizations, agencies, and groups that are all tirelessly working to prevent violence from happening and healing those who have been impacted by violence. For example, this report details 88 state violence prevention programs that were implemented in Illinois during 2018 and strategies from ICJIA-funded violence prevention programs. See the Appendices for details on these programs and their prevention strategies.

Full details of these data analyses, results, and programs can be found in the Appendices. In addition to presenting full statistics about violence and disparities for the state, we also present violence data by community types (i.e., city of Chicago, suburban Chicago counties, other urban and suburban counties, and rural counties) and for all 102 counties in Illinois. Service providers, schools, organizations, and other stakeholders within these locations may find these data helpful in informing their own local and regional efforts for violence prevention.

Although the data and statistics within this report can help illuminate risk and disparities, they do not fully capture the impact that violence can have on individuals, families, and communities. Violence can impact one’s mental health, development, or relationships, and create long-lasting pain and trauma. Violence not only impacts the victim or target of violence, but also the one perpetrating the violence, those witnessing or exposed to the violence, and those connected to those involved in the violence. More work is necessary to fully capture the distinct experiences of those impacted by violence.

These statistics also may be difficult to read; it is clear from these numbers that violence is widespread and disproportionally experienced by historically marginalized groups of individuals. The goals of this plan aim to address these inequities by increasing access to grant and economic opportunities, promoting restorative justice, and prioritizing trauma-informed practices both across the state and within the communities most impacted by violence. However, this is just a start. Focused and deliberate efforts need to ensue in order to begin the process of healing and finding justice within communities that have faced persistent inequities, structural racism, and other systemic barriers.

Compiling violence statistics and reports in one location is a strong first step towards more effective and coordinated violence prevention efforts in the state of Illinois. These numbers should continue to be consolidated for the ability to track progress in moving towards eliminating disparities and violence. Thus, we hope that the plan and needs assessment is useful to state agencies, community organizations, city and county governments, and other groups looking towards cultivating strong violence prevention initiatives.

Violence Prevention Framework & Goals


Experiencing forms of violence is a substantial public health concern. Violence is defined as “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation.” (World Health Organization, 2021). Violence can include child abuse and neglect, bullying and cyberbullying, teen dating violence, youth physical fighting and weapon carrying, adult intimate partner violence, sexual assault and violence, violent crime (e.g., homicides, aggravated assault, sexual assault, robbery), and abuse against older adults and adults with disabilities. People can be exposed to these forms of violence within their homes, at school, and in their communities.

A staggering 3.5 million children in the United States in 2017 were reported to Child Protective Services (CPS) for maltreatment concerns (ACF, 2019), and an estimated 15.5 million children are exposed to IPV annually (McDonald et al., 2006). Approximately 1 in 3 youth are victimized by their peers at school, and 1 in 4 experience a form of teen dating violence (CDC, 2018). There were also approximately 368.9 violent crimes per 100,000 people in the United States (FBI, 2018). Victimization, perpetration, and exposure to violence can result in enormous costs to society, including substantial health care, criminal justice, and child welfare costs. Violence also can have a significantly negative impact on an individuals’ mental health, such as depression, suicidal behavior, and posttraumatic stress disorder, as well as medical outcomes and conditions, such as chronic disease, cardiovascular disease, and asthma (Garthe, 2019; Gilbert et al., 2015; Mersky et al., 2013; Metzler et al., 2016; Rivera et al., 2019; Sumner et al., 2015). There is also substantial research that documents the relationship between the perpetration and victimization of violence; most perpetrators of violence have also been victims of violence (Delong & Reichert, 2019).

In addition, causes of violence and trauma stem from societal inequities, including discrimination, racism, oppression, and poverty. These inequities result in limited economic opportunities, a disinvestment in education, fewer social services, fewer affordable and quality housing options, and systemic racism, all of which can increase the likelihood of experiencing violence and trauma.





“Violence is not the main problem, rather it is a symptom of a system with many problems.” -Respondent, Violence Prevention and Intervention Staff Survey

Together, the high prevalence statistics and compounding outcomes highlight the utmost urgency of preventing violence from occurring. In addition, trauma-informed services that recognize the impact of trauma on an individuals’ development and emotional, behavioral, and relational outcomes are critical for recovery. For more information on trauma-informed care, please see: https://ncsacw.samhsa.gov/userfiles/files/SAMHSA_Trauma.pdf





Violence Prevention Framework
Science-informed violence prevention efforts seek to decrease vulnerability (i.e., factors that place individuals at a higher risk for violence) and increase resiliency (i.e., factors that protect individuals from experiencing violence). Risk and protective factors exist at various levels, including individual, relational, community, and structural or systemic factors (Weisner, 2020; Wilkins et al., 2014).

Although research on violence can take a siloed approach, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (e.g., Wilkins et al., 2014) have urged researchers to consider how multiple forms of violence can share many of the same risk and protective factors. By considering these shared factors, programs can be expanded or enhanced to prevent multiple forms of violence. These factors include:

Individual risk factors include impulsiveness/poor emotional and behavioral control, substance use and abuse, aggressive beliefs, norms, and attitudes, weak school achievement, unsupervised access to firearms, witnessing violence, history of violent victimization, mental health concerns.

Protective factors include academic achievement, commitment to school, social skills & emotion regulation, involvement in prosocial activities, opportunities for recognition, effective nonviolent behaviors and skills

Relationship risk factors include peers who engage in violent or gang activity, parental conflict and violence, messages from parents and peers about how to handle conflict, lack of connection to school, exposure to violence in relationships, lack of social support

Protective factors include positive family relationships and involvement, high parental monitoring, messages promoting nonviolence, positive friendships and peer groups, healthy dating relationship skills, and relationships with caring adults at school

Community risk factors include residential instability, concentrated poverty, lack of positive relationships and connections between neighbors, crime and gang activity, drug use or sales, lack of quality services, lack of accessibility to services,

Protective factors include collective efficacy (neighbors would intervene if something were happening; strong connections), attachment to one’s community, investment in a community, and community norms of nonviolence

Societal risk factors include cultural norms that support violence, violence in the media, economic inequities, structural racism

Protective factors include making investments in community building and community engagement, creating economic opportunities, and dismantling structural racism

Adapted from the CDC’s Prevention Strategies (David-Ferdon, 2016), recommendations have been made for how to address these shared risk and protective factors through five violence prevention strategies:

Figure 1: Violence Prevention Strategies

Additionally, David-Ferdon (2016) stresses the importance of the following approaches to these five violence prevention strategies, including:

Figure 2: Approaches to Violence Prevention Strategies

The CDC’s Technical Package for Preventing Youth Violence can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/yv-technicalpackage.pdf

Guiding Principles


This Violence Prevention plan utilizes these national strategies and approaches as a framework for its recommendations. In addition, the planning group wrote five guiding principles, informed by this evidence-based framework:
Figure 3: Guiding Principles

Overview of the Planning Process


Statewide Violence Prevention Plan 2020-2024 The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) is a state agency whose mission is to improve the administration of justice in Illinois. ICJIA brings together key leaders from the justice system and the public to identify critical issues facing the justice system in Illinois, and to propose and evaluate policies, programs, and legislation that address those issues. ICJIA’s authorizing statute includes the requirement of a four-year statewide violence prevention plan:

"To coordinate statewide violence prevention efforts and assist in the implementation of trauma recovery centers and analyze trauma recovery services, the Authority shall develop, publish, and facilitate the implementation of a 4-year statewide violence prevention plan, which shall incorporate public health, public safety, victim services, and trauma recovery centers and services." 20 ILCS 3930/7(x)

The purpose of this plan is to identify and implement violence prevention grant program recommendations as well as cross-state agency collaboration related to violence prevention projects. ICJIA has convened a Statewide Violence Prevention Planning group consisting of representatives from state government agencies and ICJIA Board Members who met and collaborated to develop goals that will focus any general violence prevention funding appropriated to ICJIA during state fiscal years 2022-24.

Methodology
To inform the violence prevention plan, a series of reviews and analyses were conducted, and meetings were held for plan development and modifications.

Planning was also guided by five guiding principles written by the planning committee, as well as national recommendations for violence prevention.

The results from these various planning steps were reviewed and discussed across the course of six planning meetings. Planning meetings took place: May 5, 2020, May 27, 2020, July 22, 2020 , September 24, 2020, October 21, 2020, and November 19, 2020.

A draft of the full report was reviewed by the planning committee on December 4, 2020. Together the group wrote recommend goals and strategies, informed by these data and reviews.

Figure 4: Methodology

Violence Prevention Plan Goals & Objectives


Three subcommittees (organized by primary, secondary, and tertiary violence prevention strategies; see page 16 for a description of these strategies) met in July and October 2020. The goals and strategies identified by these subcommittees were aggregated and reviewed by the larger planning committee during the October and November meetings. All of the strategies were informed by the Needs Assessment data, the planning group committee meeting discussions, and current ICJIA violence prevention grantee strategies.

The following goals, objectives, and strategies were developed by Statewide Violence Prevention Planning Group to inform future violence prevention notice of funding opportunities (NOFO). Any future NOFO(s) are contingent on appropriated State funds with broadly worded appropriated language so the following goals, objectives and strategies can be applied to any NOFO(s). Note: Please see glossary of terminology.

Goal #1
Stop Violence and Promote Safety
The ability to live without fear of harm is a fundamental human right and essential to individual, family, and community development and success.
Goal #2
Support Children, Youth, and Families by Emphasizing Programs that Foster Social Connectedness and Belonging
Increase the quantity and quality of programs that emphasize healthy and nonviolent relationships.
Goal #3
Advance Equity
Address systemic equities by increasing access to grants and other economic opportunities.
Goal #4
Support Health
Violence prevention programming should build, support, and sustain mentally and physically strong individuals, families, and communities.
Goal #5
Promote Collaboration across State, Municipal, and Community-Based Agencies
Violence prevention efforts should occur through coordinated, cross-sector collaborations, using research and data.

Overview of Findings: Needs Assessment of Violence & Violence Prevention Efforts


To inform the funding and violence prevention goals, a series of reviews and analyses took place. First, we reviewed state agency efforts in violence prevention.

Violence Prevention Funding and Programs by State Agencies In 2018, state violence prevention funding was reported by state agencies in a survey administered by ICJIA, and was reviewed by this planning group. A total of 14 state agencies responded, with 88 violence prevention programs detailed. Many programs were multi-faceted and included multiple strategies (i.e., primary, secondary, tertiary).

Funding was organized by primary, secondary, and tertiary strategies. For the full list of programs and program descriptions, please see Appendix #1.

Primary Strategies: involve whole populations (e.g., social-emotional skills taught at the school district level), aiming to prevent violence from occurring.

Secondary Strategies: involve immediate intervention and response to violence that has already occurred, aiming to prevent violence from occurring again and help with the short-term impacts of violence.

Tertiary Strategies: involve long-term or ongoing support and services to victims or people harmed by violence, as well as accountability and services for those who have harmed others. Tertiary also includes diversion and enforcement programs (please note that most diversion funding is at the county level in Illinois).

As shown below in orange, many programs included two or three violence prevention strategies (i.e., combinations of primary, secondary, or tertiary strategies). Of the programs with one violence prevention strategy (as shown below in blue), the majority were tertiary violence prevention.

Additionally, across all programs, tertiary was included in the majority (73%), whether on its own (n = 27), or in combination with secondary strategies (n = 16) or in combination with primary and secondary strategies (n = 21). Secondary strategies were included in 50% of programs, while primary strategies were included in the fewest number of programs (44%).

Figure 5: Strategies across State Violence Prevention Programs

Needs Assessment of Violence in Illinois

Next, data was pulled for the comprehensive needs assessment of violence in Illinois. Data came from a variety of sources, including publicly available datasets and reports. Data were also obtained by the research team from various organizations and centers. For links and citations to these data, please see the full section of the data presentation of these sources in the Appendices.

As detailed in the Appendix, rates of violence were assessed across type of violence and by demographic or geographically based groups. Across most types of violence, Illinois had higher rates of violence compared to the rate in the United States.

                                                                                          Figure 6: Rates of Violence in Illinois and the United States 1

Additionally, these rates were examined by demographic characteristics and geographic regions. Several disparities are noted here; please see the appendix for additional information and analyses.

Figure 7: Disparities in Rates of Violence in Illinois

Additional Surveys: Violence Prevention & Intervention Staff and IL Adult Residents

As detailed in Appendix #2, data from two additional surveys were collected. In the first survey, 130 violence prevention and intervention staff across the state (serving 91% of the counties in Illinois) were asked questions about community collaborations, perceptions on protective factors, and violence prevention strategies. Some of the key findings include: Staff strongly agreed that violence is a concern in their community to families (65%), community residents (64%), community leaders (45%), and community elected officials (33%). Staff serving rural counties perceived that violence is less of a concern across these four entities (e.g., 18% strongly agreed that violence was a concern to elected officials). About 30% of staff across the state “somewhat” or “strongly agreed” that community leaders are knowledgeable about evidence-based violence prevention programs. These rates varied by community type, with the lowest rates among staff serving rural counties.

Figure 8: Knowledge about Evidence-based Violence Prevention Programs by Community Type

Staff collaborated with a variety of organizations, groups, and stakeholders. A total of 81% to 93% of staff endorsed “some” or “a lot” of collaboration on violence prevention efforts with the following collaborators: social service agencies, school leadership staff, community-based organizations, com-munity coalitions, healthcare institutions, law enforcement, and city government.

Additionally, staff rated a list of evidence-based protective factors of violence from “not important at all” to “very important.” The top-rated protective factors were at the individual and relational level:

Figure 9: Protective Factors Rated as Very Important

Community and other protective factors were also rated as very important:

83.8%-Trauma-informed training and practices

80.8%-Positive community connection and engagement

72.1%-Job training and workforce development

71.5%-Exposure to diverse cultural practices

54.6%-Knowledge of community and socio-political history

After rating these protective factors on importance (shown in blue), staff were asked to rate if their community was adequately addressing each factor (shown in orange). There was a gap between perceived importance and adequacy of addressing these factors in communities:

Figure 10: Perceptions of Protective Factors: Ratings of Importance and Community Adequacy

Finally, staff were asked to list solutions that are not considered in their community that could prevent or reduce violence. Many of the solutions were in alignment with the five guiding principles (see page 28), including fostering belonging and social connectedness, advancing equity, promoting safety, supporting health, and engaging state agencies.

Additional solutions included:

  • Increasing comprehensive and collaborative initiatives
  • Increasing opportunities and access to resources
  • Addressing economic and employment inequities
  • Increasing knowledge and solutions related to violence prevention
  • Others (e.g., using evidence-based practices, strengthening education).

Also detailed in Section IV, a sample of 712 Illinois adult residents were surveyed through a Qualtrics Panel. Adults were surveyed on their experiences with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), mental health and trauma, and sources of protection against violence within relationships and communities.

Some of the key findings include:

Knowledge of Violence Prevention Organizations & Programs
Respondents were asked if they knew of organizations or programs in their community that aimed to prevent different forms of violence. The majority of respondents (81%) indicated that they knew of at least one type of violence prevention organization or program in their community.

Respondents also indicated they were knowledgeable about:

  • 41.2%—Organizations or programs in their community or neighborhood that address the needs of individuals who have experienced violence or trauma.
  • 28.2%—Organizations or programs in their community or neighborhood that provide support for individuals who are returning from prison or jail, or are serving a probation or parole sentence.
  • 29.2%—Organizations or programs in their community or neighborhood that provide support for youth who have been detained for a crime or that aim to prevent youth from entering the juvenile justice system.

Quality of Resources
They also rated the quality of various resources in their neighborhood/community. Resources that were rated as fair or excellent by fewer participants included employment and job training opportunities, family-focused programs, mental health care services, and substance abuse services.

Figure 11: Perceptions of Neighborhood Problems by Race and Ethnicity

Perceptions of Neighborhood Problems:

Of the 712 adults surveyed in Illinois, about 63% of the sample had experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE), and about 29% had experienced four or more ACEs.

National reports suggest that around 61% of adults experience at least one ACE, and about 17% experienced four or more ACEs. For more information, see: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html

Protective Factors
Among adults with higher levels of ACEs, several factors protected them from experiencing as high of mental health symptoms. These protective factors included:

  • Social Support (e.g., can rely on friends or family)
  • Family Resilience (e.g., open communication and trust in the family)
  • Community Social Cohesion (e.g., connections and trust with one’s neighbors)
Figure 12: Adverse Childhood Experiences among Illinois Residents

Mental Health
Across three areas of mental health, adults reported heightened or clinically significant symptomology of mental health concerns, including:

  • 42.4%-Depression Symptoms
  • 45.1%-Traumatic Stress Symptoms
  • 27.1%-Moderate or Severe Anxiety Symptoms

Black or African American adults reported the highest rates of depression and traumatic stress.

Hispanic or Latin adults reported slightly higher levels of anxiety compared to White and Black or African American adults.

Figure 13: Prevalence of Mental Health Concerns by Race and Ethnicity

Violence Prevention ICJIA Grantee StrategiesIn 2020, there were 11 violence prevention ICJIA grantees that drafted their own violence prevention plans. These grantees represented the City of Chicago (n = 3), Suburban Cook County (n = 5), Central Illinois (n = 2) and East St. Louis (n = 1). Across the plans, gun violence was the most common type of violence to be addressed, followed by domestic violence.

Figure 14: Types of Violence Addressed by ICJIA Grantees

As detailed in Appendix #1, violence prevention strategies from these plans were coded according to the guiding principles of this plan.

Limitations


This review and needs assessment that informed the goals presented in this plan make many strong contributions. However, a few limitations are worth noting:
  • Administrative data includes various self-report surveys, as well as reports to agencies and law enforcement; however, violence is often under-reported, so these data may not represent true experiences of violence. Also, while the majority of data sources in this report are from 2018, we had to include reports that were older (e.g., 2010-2012) as they were the most recent data available. Continued data collection efforts are necessary to truly understand the prevalence of the various forms of violence.
  • Although the data and statistics within this report can help illuminate risk and disparities, they do not capture the complexities of violence, nor do they fully capture the impact that violence can have on individuals, families, and communities. Violence can impact one’s mental health, development, or relationships, and create long-lasting pain and trauma. Violence not only impacts the victim or target of violence, but also the one perpetrating the violence, those witnessing or exposed to the violence, and those connected to those involved in the violence. People also may define and label these experiences differently. More work is necessary to fully capture the experiences of those impacted by violence.
  • This report relied on quantitative data; qualitative data from individuals impacted by violence are needed to move this work forward. Qualitative data would allow for a greater understanding of the context in which violence is taking place. This type of data collection would also allow for individuals to describe violence and the impact of violence in their own words, creating a more in-depth and immersive understanding of violence.
  • Disruptions from COVID-19:
    • The adult resident survey collection took longer than anticipated. Thus, the adult resident survey data came in after the planning committee meetings concluded.
    • The researchers had hoped to gather qualitative data from program participants (e.g., youth panels, etc.); however, in-person data collection was not possible due to university pandemic regulations, and there was not enough time to collect qualitative data via electronic platforms.
    • There is also the possibility that mental health concerns were heightened among adult residents during the pandemic.
  • The adult resident survey was completed by a research panel; although largely representative of the state of Illinois in terms of race/ethnicity, sex, and economic status, and surveys were obtained from all areas of the state, participants were individuals who are paid to complete surveys. Thus, the survey results not generalizable to all adults in Illinois.

Conclusions


This report includes the five overarching goals that will inform ICJIA’s SFY 22-24 state violence prevention funding.* In addition, this report also details the violence prevention framework and guiding principles that shaped five overarching goals. It also provides an overview of the needs assessment, review of state agency violence prevention programs, and ICJIA grantee community-based violence prevention goals. The ICJIA Violence Prevention Planning Group reviewed all this information and developed the five goals with related objectives and recommendations. These directed ICJIA and the planning group to create a broad framework for community-specific approaches that aim to strengthen protective factors, decrease risk factors, and address disparities in violence through a collaborative approach. This is an ambitious challenge and will continue to evolve as ICJIA listens and adapts to community needs.

The Planning Group will continue to provide feedback to ICJIA violence prevention funding through quarterly committee meetings. ICJIA staff have enjoyed collaborating on this project with the Planning Group members, and look forward to an expanded group dedicated and focused on creating safer homes, schools, and communities across Illinois.

*Contingent on state appropriations and that the actual appropriated language be general enough for the plan to be applied to a NOFO.


“Violence is a health issue, not a crime issue.”
-Respondent, Violence Prevention and Intervention Staff Survey

"Systemic problems don't disappear without systemic solutions."
-Respondent, Violence Prevention and Intervention Staff Survey

“Ending violence has to be a whole community wrap-around. From community leaders to the smallest child, businesses to social services. There has to be buy-in from everyone.” -Respondent, Violence Prevention and Intervention Staff Survey

Acknowledgements


We take this opportunity to thank these individuals and groups who generously supported this project with their time and expertise. The project was led by Reshma Desai, Strategic Policy Advisor at the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA). This project would not have been possible without her support, energy, and direction.

We are grateful to the Statewide Violence Prevention Plan Group (listed in alphabetical order by last name) who supported the development of this report and its recommendations:

  • Jenny Aguirre,
    Department of Healthcare and Family Services
  • Cassandra Booth,
    Illinois Department of Public Health
  • Stanley Buford,
    ICJIA
  • John Carroll,
    Attorney General’s Office
  • Frances Collins,
    Illinois Department of Human Services
  • Yaacov Delaney,
    Justice, Equity and Opportunities Initiative
  • Reshma Desai,
    ICJIA
  • Heather Dorsey,
    Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts
  • Mackenzie Eisen,
    Governor’s Office
  • Dr. Justin Escamilla,
    ICJIA
  • Shawn Freeman,
    Center for Prevention Research and Development at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
  • Dr. Rachel Garthe,
    UIUC School of Social Work
  • Garien Gatewood,
    Illinois Justice Project
  • Ryan Goodwin,
    Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
  • Andrea Hall,
    Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission
  • Emily Harwell,
    Illinois Lieutenant Governor’s Office
  • Shai Hoffman,
    ICJIA
  • Omar Jamil,
    Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice
  • Anne Kirkner,
    ICJIA
  • Era Laudermilk,
    Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender
  • Dr. Kimberly Mann,
    Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
  • Kristen Marshall,
    Illinois Department of Human Services
  • Jennifer L. Martin,
    Illinois Department of Public Health
  • Lois Moorman,
    Illinois Department on Aging
  • Dr. Keyuana Muhammad,
    Cook County Sheriff’s Office
  • Christian Perry,
    ICJIA
  • Laura Phelan,
    Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services
  • Mary Ratliff,
    ICJIA
  • Karrie Rueter,
    Illinois Department of Human Services
  • Kristie Schneller,
    Administrate Office of Illinois Courts
  • Dr. Doug Smith,
    UIUC & Center for Prevention Research & Development
  • Vickie Smith,
    Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence
  • Jason Stamps,
    ICJIA
  • Carmen Terrones,
    Connecting Restorative Justice Communities
  • Sosina Tesema,
    Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission
  • Mitchell Troup,
    ICJIA
  • Teresa Tudor,
    Illinois Department of Human Services
  • Charles Watkins,
    Lt. Governor Stratton’s Office
  • Lauren Weisner,
    ICJIA
  • Cara Wiley,
    Illinois State Board of Education
  • Charise Williams,
    ICJIA
  • Paula Wolff,
    Illinois Justice Project
  • Holly Zielke,
    Department on Aging

We also would like to acknowledge the various groups that provided data, data summaries, and reports that we were able to include in this report:

  • Dr. Justin Escamilla, Dr. Karl Grushow, and Dr. Anne Kirkner, ICJIA
  • Center for Prevention Research and Development, School of Social Work, University of Illinois
  • Children & Family Research Center, School of Social Work, University of Illinois
  • Dr. Gina Fedock, University of Chicago

Cover design of this report by Cristin Evans, ICJIA

Cover design of appendices by Becky Ponder, School of Social Work, University of Illinois

Graphic Designs by Miah Emano and Ashley Jung, University of Illinois

Web design by Chris Schweda, ICJIA, and Cindy Su, University of Illinois

A special thank you to the research assistants at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who supported the data analysis for this report, including Shongha Kim, MSW, Allison Salisbury, MSW, David Mowry, BSW, and Matthew Saxsma.

References


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Glossary of Terms


**Equity:** The fair treatment, access, opportunity and advancement for all people, while at the same time striving to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of some groups. The principle of equity acknowledges that there are historically underserved and underrepresented populations and that fairness regarding these unbalanced conditions is needed to assist in the provision of adequate opportunities to all groups.

LGBTQIA: An inclusive term for those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual or ally.

Restorative Justice: A formal process that addresses the harm done to the victim by the offender taking responsibility for the harm. It also focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large and can take place in or outside a formal court system.

Trauma-Informed: The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration’s six principles that guide a trauma-informed approach, including:

  1. Safety,
  2. Trustworthiness & transparency,
  3. Peer support,
  4. Collaboration & mutuality,
  5. Empowerment & choice, and
  6. Cultural, historical & gender issues. Adopting a trauma-informed approach is not accomplished through any single particular technique or checklist. It requires constant attention, caring awareness, sensitivity, and possibly a cultural change at an organizational level. On-going internal organizational assessment and quality improvement, as well as engagement with community stakeholders, should help to imbed this approach which can be augmented with organizational development and practice improvement. https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/infographics/6\_principles\_trauma\_info.htm

Trauma Responsive: The implementation of interventions that intent to alleviate the symptoms of trauma and improve life functioning.

Violence: “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation.” (World Health Organization, 2021).