The Illinois Criminal Justice Authority (the Authority) is excited to embark upon the 2010 Smarter Solutions for Crime Reduction: Strategic Planning Initiative. The initiative will commence with an intensive two-day strategic planning summit that will be an exploration of those policies, practices and programs that have proven to be effective in solving the real-world problems that confront the criminal justice system in all its phases. The summit is the first step in bringing together policymakers and practitioners at the state and local levels to craft a long-range plan to guide criminal justice policy, funding and research over the coming years.

Download the summit overview 

View the agenda and register online »

In November 2009, the Authority initiated a strategic planning effort. This effort, unlike the 1999 effort, recognizes the barriers posed by the current fiscal environment in Illinois and around the country, and the uncertain status of continued federal funding. Bearing in mind these challenges, the overall goal of the current initiative is to provide information on effective strategies to address justice-related challenges by shifting resources, utilizing evidence-based or promising practices, and forming cross-disciplinary and cross-jurisdictional partnerships to conserve resources and share information.

Download the strategic planning process overview 

The Authority recognizes that the drain on resources is experienced most heavily on counties, and maximum impact across the State can only be achieved by addressing local health and justice challenges.

To this end, the Authority identified the top quarter (27 counties) of counties with the highest "prevalence" of justice and health and human services involvement.

Read more »

In 1999, the Authority engaged in a comprehensive planning process to direct its administration of federal grant funds and inform its research and policy agenda. The process involved research, data collection, and input from members of the criminal justice community. The information was incorporated into the agenda of a two-day planning event in June 2000, attended by 150 criminal justice policymakers, researchers, and practitioners from across Illinois.

After the planning event, working groups refined the issues and developed strategic goals, objectives, and action steps to guide development and implementation of the State Criminal Justice Plan. The plan was designed to serve as a long-term road map to guide the Authority’s funding, research and evaluation, and legislative and policy initiatives for the next 10 years.

Created in 1983, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority is a state agency dedicated to improving the administration of criminal justice. The Authority brings together key leaders from the justice system and the public to identify critical issues facing the criminal justice system in Illinois, and to propose and evaluate policies, programs, and legislation that address those issues.

Read more »