Illinois lawmakers look to improve public safety through two-sided approach

[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.

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."

State Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago.
Greg Bishop

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.