Illinois lawmakers look to improve public safety through two-sided
approach
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[May 27, 2022] By
Andrew Hensel | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – The Illinois Public
Safety and Violence Prevention Task Force met Thursday to discuss ways
to improve public safety across the state by supporting more community
programs and improving mental health care.
The task force met with representatives from the mental health field and
leaders of youth community groups from all over the state.
Their goal is to better improve public safety overall and limit crime.
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State Rep. LaShawn Ford, D-Chicago, is a task force member and said the
state's budget reflects that $1 billion is being spent on violence
prevention and youth programs, a sign that there are resources out there
for those who need them.
"We are acting like it's academia but I got a degree in elementary
education, a minor in Spanish, and a concentration in history, it is not
academia," Maxwell said. "It's the reality of being on the ground in
these communities."
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State Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago.
Greg Bishop
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a number of bills Thursday that he said will
help slow the rate of crime in the city of Chicago. The governor and
other lawmakers announced additional funding for summer jobs and mental
health for youth, as well as enacting several laws that are designed to
combat car jackings.
Pritzker called the signings a step in the right direction in solving
the public safety crisis in Chicago.
“There is nothing more important than keeping our communities safe,”
Pritzker said. “It’s why we’ve poured record funding into violence
prevention and are surging additional resources to Chicago ahead of the
summer. In order to help provide Illinoisans the security they deserve,
we are also equipping law enforcement officers with the tools and
protection they need to address rising crime rates. With these bills, we
take another step towards dismantling cycles of violence that have
plagued our neighborhoods for far too long.”
Andrew Hensel has years of experience as a reporter and
pre-game host for the Joliet Slammers, and as a producer for the Windy
City Bulls. A graduate of Iowa Wesleyan University and Illinois Media
School, Andrew lives in the south suburbs of Chicago. |