Building Communities and Families By Reducing the Cycle of Recidivism

Building Communities and Families By Reducing the Cycle of Recidivism

We must end the cycle of recidivism in Lake County. While we will prosecute violent offenders to the fullest extent of the law, we will also implement common-sense reform that will finally work to serve the needs of the people while also reducing crime in the future.

• We will expand the size of the treatment courts by working with our partners on the Lake County Board and Springfield; treatment courts are very effective, but the current State’s Attorney Office limits those who can enter those programs.

• We will establish real diversion programs that protect our youth and teach them from their mistakes rather than saddling them with years of having a criminal record. We will vastly increase the size of the alternative prosecution program. Currently, only one attorney works on this small set of cases, this is unacceptable.

• We will reform and rebuild the misdemeanor court system which is hopelessly backlogged. This backlog leads to careless mistakes, lost trials, and frustrated victims. We will focus on serving the victims and reducing crime. 

• Rehabilitation is key to the long-term reduction of crime and will save our county millions of dollars in the long-run. This is why we should always look at alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenses when possible.

• We will assist residents in expunging and sealing their records as opposed to the current  office’s practice of putting up roadblocks to individual’s efforts to rebuild their lives.  

• Rehabilitation reduces crime. We will work with nonprofit organizations to make sure that every individual on probation has an opportunity to find a job and to receive the appropriate support with respect to housing, long-term counseling, and social re-entry.