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Advocates urge Cook County to freeze carceral spending, expand domestic‑violence funding; board reallocates $1.2M in ARPA funds
Summary
Advocates for immigrant communities, survivors of domestic violence and community organizers urged Cook County commissioners to freeze growth in law‑enforcement spending and instead invest in behavioral health, housing and legal services. Domestic‑violence providers asked the board to reallocate $1.2 million in ARPA funds to expand survivor services.
A string of public witnesses at the Oct. 23 Cook County Board meeting urged commissioners to stop growth in law‑enforcement budgets and to steer county dollars into prevention and services that residents say reduce harm.
"When our neighbors talk about safety, they mention counselors for their kids, stable housing, legal help, and youth programs — not bigger line items for jails and prosecutions," said Bridal, an organizer with the Muslim Civic Coalition, which asked the board to freeze Sheriff, Department of Corrections and State's Attorney growth dollars and to reinvest increases into behavioral health, violence prevention, housing stabilization and immigrant legal defense.
Speakers cited county trends and local…
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