The budget cuts Governor Blagojevich has implemented will increase recidivism in Illinois. On or about July 3, 2008, meetings were held in Chicago at the Thompson building and in Springfield at the Stratton building about these budget cuts. Some of the budget cuts effect special populations, such as domestic violence, jail diversion and reentry, TANF, male re-unification initiative, female criminal justice, ATC work release, mental illness and substance abuse and youth services. Other non-core/non-treatment dollars would be eliminated or reduced by 50% or more.
Governor Blagojevich has proposed that $55 million dollars be removed from the recovery and treatment community. This budget cut will also lose $55 million dollars from the Federal government, which is matching dollars. This loss of $110 million dollars to programs that for years have been providing substance abuse recovery and treatment services in Illinois will not reduce recidivism, but rather, will create more reentry into our jail and prison systems. This will also create more crime in our communities because there will be no service for those who are addicted to drugs and alcohol, which will also be serviced by more criminal thinking and behaving.
To support the above, on or about July 10, 2008 the Illinois Alcohol and Drug Dependence Association reports Governor Blagojevich made good on his threat to make line item vetoes and reductions to the proposed fiscal year 2009 budget. Without any rationale, he slashed the addiction treatment services line from $86,599 million to $43,299 million, a 50% reduction. He also eliminated the 2.78 million form the welfare reform project and the 9.05 million to treat special populations. The cuts to our existing treatment service system total $55,129 million. He also vetoed the $3 million increase approved by the General Assembly this past session.
The Sheridan Project at Sheridan Correctional Center is Governor Blagojevich’s proposed model for the country, to which he claims, will reduce recidivism. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich suggests the Sheridan Project at Sheridan Correctional Center is working to reduce recidivism. Only 10% of the 3 million+ allocated to Sheridan Correctional Center has been designated to be cut by Governor Blagojevich. What makes Governor Blagojevich think his “pet” project will reduce recidivism by keeping Sheridan Correctional Center open with prevention and intervention services slashed, along with aftercare being diminished? This is an outrage.
