Firearm Violence Research Group
c/o Dr. Joseph K. Hoereth
Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement
College of Urban Planning and Civic Engagement
University of Illinois Chicago
412 S Peoria St, Chicago, IL 60607
December 30, 2021
Dear Firearm Violence Research Group,
Thank you for your memo re: Reimagine Public Safety Act - Eligible Community Areas and Municipalities (pdf) delineating the areas of concentrated firearm violence in Illinois. I am especially grateful for the expertise, time, and commitment that you have already devoted to carrying out some of the first and most important data gathering work called for in the Reimagine Public Safety Act and in Governor Pritzker's Executive Order 2021-29, Implementing a Comprehensive Approach to Reducing Firearm Violence in Illinois.
After a thorough review of your memo, the IDHS Office of Firearm Violence Prevention accepts your data-based recommendations, grounded in the metrics set out in the Reimagine Public Safety Act. We are committed to pursuing targeted program investment in the communities that you identified.
We look forward to our continued work together to achieve public safety for every resident of Illinois and thank you again for the important and thoughtful recommendations. In our future work together, it will be important to continue identifying communities that need attention -- both through our work under the Reimagine Public Safety Act and the State's other violence prevention efforts. I also look forward to collaborating with you to identify factors that can help us in our shared ambition to reduce gun violence and save lives in Illinois.
Sincerely,
Chris Patterson
Assistant Secretary
Office of Firearm Violence Prevention
