Will County and City of Joliet FY20 JAG Project

Will County is looking to change the scope of the FY20 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) to focus on training our law enforcement and related professionals on the dangers of strangulation within the context of intimate partner violence or sexual violence. Will County is looking to bring Alliance for HOPE’s Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention to conduct a 2-day advanced training. This expands on a training that was held in our region in Spring of 2023, which was well received by those who attended. Please note, the travel expenses quoted in attachments will not be covered by JAG grant. 

The training on strangulation is intended to educate attendees on the dangers of strangulation, including physiological and psychological effects, as well as the statistically strong potential of future lethality. This training will provide the tools for law enforcement to effectively assess for strangulation when investigating domestic or sexual violence involved crimes. They will also learn how to collect evidence regarding strangulation to lead to better prosecutorial outcomes for those charged with crimes. Prosecutors will also learn how to prosecute crimes more effectively. All attendees, regardless of discipline, will learn how to effectively work with survivors who have experienced strangulation, including tools to engage those with strangulation injuries, help them seek essential medical intervention, and develop appropriate safety plans.

Through this initiative, this community will recognize strangulation as a serious concern which requires acute attention. In the end, the hope is for better attentiveness by all disciplines, but especially the first responders who may be a survivor’s first means of securing safety. The hope is also more for more effective prosecution to hold those who choose violence accountable and thus increasing the overall safety of the community.

Remaining $1,459 will be used to print Law Enforcement Resources through the Alliance for Hope's website: Law Enforcement Strangulation Resources (strangulationtraininginstitute.com) to make available for various law enforcement vehicles throughout Will County.