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Anita Alvarez
Cook County State's Attorney
Communications Department
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 603-3423
saomedia@cookcountygov.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

September 27, 2010

Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez is in Washington D.C. today where she will accept an award from a national prosecutors association recognizing her efforts to restore community-based prosecution offices in Cook County.

Alvarez will accept the Innovative Community Engagement Award at the annual conference of the National Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.  The award is presented annually to prosecutors and organizations that excel at prosecutorial innovation and community engagement. Nominated by colleagues across the nation, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office will be recognized for opening three new “Community Justice Centers” in Chicago and suburban Cook County.  Previously closed by Cook County budget cuts, Alvarez made reopening the Community Justice Centers a priority upon taking office in 2008.

“We have made great progress expanding our community-based prosecutions efforts in an attempt to reach out more proactively to the residents that we serve” Alvarez said.  “We have come a long way in a very short period of time and this award is important because it reinforces our efforts and our progress from a national perspective.”

Alvarez will accept the award at 5:30 pm this evening at a reception being held at the Capital Hilton in Washington. 

ABOUT THE INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD:  A hallmark of the Community Prosecution Movement is its willingness to experiment with and embrace new data-driven innovations that help reduce crime and improve public safety.  By engaging the community, employing problem solving techniques, building broad partnerships, and relying on evaluation, offices that practice community prosecution are helping to challenge the notions of what it means to be a prosecutor in the 21st Century.   The Association of Prosecuting Attorneys is pleased to annually recognize and honor those individuals and organizations which excel at prosecutorial innovation and community engagement. 

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