PRESS RELEASES

Coordinator – Brenda Benton
Regional Office of Education #3
Educational Services Division
1805 W. Fletcher
Vandalia, Illinois 62471
(618) 283-1763
Fax: (618) 283-9833

The Honorable S. Gene Schwarm, Chief Judge of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, has called for a revitalization of the Family Violence Coordinating Council of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, comprised of the following nine counties: Christian, Clay, Clinton, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Marion, Montgomery, and Shelby. In November 2001, a new local council coordinator was named by Chief Judge Schwarm. She is Brenda Benton of Vandalia. Brenda works for Regional Office of Education #3, Educational Services Division, in Vandalia. She and Judge Schwarm, with assistance from state coordinators and other professionals, are in the process of reorganizing and revitalizing the Fourth Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council.

The purpose of the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Councils (IFVCCs) is to establish a forum to share and discuss information in order to promote a coordinated response to family violence in our communities. Local council members are decision makers from all systems that have contact with family violence victims and perpetrators – judges; probation officers; law enforcement officials; state’s attorneys; domestic violence program, sexual assault program, and batterer’s intervention program coordinators; representatives from local health departments, U of I Extension offices, hospitals, Department of Children and Family Services, Regional Superintendent of Schools, media, legal services, circuit clerks, and clergy.

There are 25 FVCCs in the state of Illinois covering 17 judicial circuits, plus Cook County. The Councils work to improve institutional and professional response to family violence issues. The Councils engage in education, prevention, and coordination of intervention and services for victims and perpetrators of child abuse, domestic violence, and elder abuse. A goal of the Councils is to contribute to the improvement of the legal system and the administration of justice. FVCCs believe that the reduction of family violence is central to the reduction of other forms of violence. Reducing and preventing family violence will contribute significantly to the creation of communities that are safe, secure, and healthy.

For more information on the Family Violence Coordinating Council of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, contact local coordinator, Brenda Benton, Phone (618) 283-1763 or e-mail: bbenton@fayette.k12.il.us.

Fourth Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council & Regional Office of Education #3, Win New Federal Grant

Brenda Benton, Local FVCC Coordinator
Educational Services Division
Regional Office of Education #3
1830 W. Fletcher, Suite B
Vandalia, IL 62471

The 4th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council and Regional Office of Education #3 was awarded $565,000 in federal Office for Violence Against Women Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Grant funding for regional domestic violence protocol development and training. Administered by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, this funding will be used to create a comprehensive training manual for police, prosecutors, judges, probation officers, and court personnel in the 4th Judicial Circuit on how to effectively and successfully respond to domestic violence cases. 

“I am thrilled that the 4th Circuit has been awarded this grant. The grant will be a great help to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in each of our nine counties within the circuit,” said Hon. S. Gene Schwarm, 4th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge and Chair of the Family Violence Coordinating Council (FVCC).

FVCC members will collaborate on the manual development and adaptation of domestic violence, domestic violence by a law enforcement officer, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking protocols to be distributed and used throughout the region. Local law enforcement departments, prosecutors, court personnel, and state’s attorneys will receive training and a comprehensive training manual on how the use of these protocols and resources will assist them in their response to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. 

“With this grant award, we continue our support of criminal justice efforts across Illinois to collaborate on cases involving domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking,” said Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority Executive Director Lori G. Levin. 

The 4th Judicial Circuit includes Clay, Clinton, Christian, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Marion, Montgomery, and Shelby counties. Grant funding for the project will be available Jan. 1, 2009 and will expire on Dec. 31, 2010. Local coordinator for the 4th Circuit FVCC is Brenda Benton. Regional Office of Education #3 will provide the local coordinator, technical assistance, and resources during the OVW Grant Project.

“The 4th Judicial Circuit has had a Family Violence Coordinating Council since 1998 and has a strong history of collaboration among all of the member entities and agencies that serve victims”, says Vernie Beorkrem, Director of Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Councils, “and will serve as a model for other rural circuits throughout Illinois.” The FVCC committees that will assist with grant activities are the Planning/Steering, Law Enforcement, Helping Services, Health Services, Court Systems, Elder Abuse, and InterFaith Committees. All of these committees, and the Law Enforcement Committee in particular, are known for the many projects, programs, and events that they have developed, completed, and coordinated to assist victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. Some of these projects include Victim Packets, Officers Pocket Cards, Stalking Kits, Stalking Training CD, Clergy Quick Guide, and “Now That You Have an Order of Protection” Brochure. One of the FVCC’s most successful programs has been the “Responding to Teen Dating Violence: Helping Students Help Others” Workshop which has been offered over the last 5½ years to 15 school districts and 3300 Junior and Senior High School students and educators. Other presentations have featured nationally-known speakers on the topics of Law Enforcement Response to Domestic Violence Victims, Domestic Violence 101, Elder Abuse, Religion as a Resource and a Roadblock for Domestic Violence Victims, The Connection Between Animal Abuse and Child Abuse, Mandated Reporting, and Child Sexual Predators.

In order to facilitate the dissemination of this information over the large rural area covered by the 4th Judicial Circuit and the large number of people who will receive this training, the Circuit will be divided into three regions consisting of three counties each: Christian-Montgomery-Shelby; Fayette-Marion-Clinton; and Effingham-Jasper-Clay. Local non-profit domestic violence victim service programs will serve as coordinating agencies in each of the three-county regions as well as provide training services. State’s Attorneys in each of the nine counties, local non-profit sexual assault victim services programs, and local law enforcement departments will determine staff members qualified to become part of the three Training Teams who will join with staff from local non-profit domestic violence victim service programs to train law enforcement officers, state’s attorney’s staff, court personnel including judges and probation officers, and others who serve victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. Special training and on-going support will be provided by a very highly-qualified State’s Attorney’s Victim/Witness Coordinator for other State’s Attorney’s (SAO’s) Victim/Witness Coordinators within the Circuit. Grant funds will provide trainers, materials, and resources for training sessions throughout the 4th Circuit; materials and resources such as cameras, stalking kits, and victim’s packets for local law enforcement departments; and training opportunities for members of the Training Teams to attend national conferences. 

For more information, contact:

Family Violence Coordinating Council
4th Judicial Circuit
Brenda Benton, Local Coordinator
PH. 618/283-1763
e-mail: bbenton@fayette.k12.il.us
Regional Office of Education #3
Educational Services Division
1830 W. Fletcher, Suite B
Vandalia, IL 62471