Illinois § 72-5

§ 72-5.

Legislative findings. In the State of Illinois, two-thirds of gun violence is related to suicide, and one-third is related to homicide, claiming approximately 12,000 lives a year. Violence has plagued communities, predominantly poor and distressed communities in urban settings, which have always treated violence as a criminal justice issue, instead of a public health issue. On February 21, 2018, Pastor Anthony Williams was informed that his son, Nehemiah William, had been shot to death. Due to this disheartening event, Pastor Anthony Williams reached out to State Representative Elizabeth "Lisa" Hernandez, urging that the issue of violence be treated as a public health crisis. In 2018, elected officials from all levels of government started a coalition to address violence as a public health crisis, with the assistance of faith-based organizations, advocates, and community members and held a statewide listening tour from August 2018 to April 2019. The listening tour consisted of stops on the South Side and West Side of Chicago, Maywood, Springfield, and East St. Louis, with a future scheduled visit in Danville. During the statewide listening sessions, community members actively discussed neighborhood safety, defining violence and how and why violence occurs in their communities. The listening sessions provided different solutions to address violence, however, all sessions confirmed a disconnect from the priorities of government and the needs of these communities. (Source: P.A. 102-4, eff. 4-27-21.)