Ill. gets more than $1M for justice programs

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois will receive more than $1 million in federal grants for two criminal justice programs.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago will get $500,000 from the Justice Department for its Immigrant Survivor’s Project. It offers legal representation and support services to battered immigrant women.

The grant money will go toward legal help in 1,500 cases involving immigrant issues, child support and custody, and orders of protection.

The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority will administer nearly $590,000 for the Illinois Innocence Project at the University of Illinois at Springfield. It has focused on wrongful-conviction cases in downstate Illinois, but the grant will allow it to expand to the northern part of the state.

The money will help it identify and investigate the strength of DNA evidence where available.