"You Said It"

CeaseFire, an initiative of the Illinois Project for Violence Prevention, has received funding from the State of Illinois to the tune of more than $13 million during the last two years. However, Gov. Rod Blagojevich has eliminated funding for CeaseFire. A state senator has called the organization ineffective. However, CeaseFire has caused a reduction in shootings in many areas of the city. The Defender asked if the funding should be restored and you said:

"Yes I think the funding should be restored because any programming that does anything to make sure any child is safe and not committing a crime or not hurt or killed is important. We need to invest our money in the future, which is our children"

-Rhea

"Yes I do because the funding that goes to CeaseFire helps the teens and helps the children get off the street. If they stop the funding then the kids are going to get back to the street, go back to gangbanging, back to selling drugs."

- Ashley

"Yes I do it helps as far as gangbanging, as far as people killing one another. Yes we do need CeaseFire."

- Erica

'Yes I do think it should be restored. Ex-offenders, once they have served their time and once they have been released, they should have an opportunity to join society and maybe mentor someone so they can spread the word and we can keep kids off the street and hopefully they wont end up in the same predicament they were in."

-Patrice