Rep. Jehan Gordon Booth hopes to bring Peoria ideas to statewide crime task force

PEORIA (25 News Now) - State Representative Jehan Gordon Booth has been named one of two Democratic state representatives to serve on the Crime Reduction Task Force in Springfield.

The group aims to analyze root causes of crime and devise solutions for them, instead of focusing on “tough on crime policies.” It’s a part of a group of legislation Illinois Democrats have pushed forward as a different approach to crime, including the controversial SAFE-T Act passed last year.

Booth said she wants to bring more ideas from the Peoria area to the statewide stage. She said she’s brought several ideas to the statehouse before from both Peoria Police and former Sheriff Brian Asbell.

“Four of [Asbell’s} ideas are now state law,” Booth said. Another local initiative that combines mental health response with police response at the scene of the crime is now being tested for statewide use in Waukegan, East St Louis, Peoria and Springfield.

“[That] shows the phenomenal ideas that are coming, that are born of the leadership here in Peoria,” Booth said.

The task force has not held their first meeting yet. State law set the guideline that the group meet within 60 days of when the law became effective, which was May 10, 2022. They must meet at least four times and present their findings to the governor by March 2023.