The Regional Institute for Community Policing (RICP), a Springfield-based IGPA research center, is working with Lincoln Land Community College and the Springfield Urban League, Inc. to create an action plan that will address gang violence in central Illinois.

An issue of IGPA's Policy Forum, written by Dr. Stanley Ikenberry in 2005, was quoted in a guest commentary by three University faculty members in the July 26 edition of The (Champaign) News-Gazette. For those interested in the full article, it is part of the IGPA library and is available here.

The Illinois economy remains in the doldrums of the national recession, according to the latest University of Illinois Flash Index. The index, which ticked up slightly in May, dropped more than two full points in June, from 94.1 to 92.0.

The University of Illinois Flash Index broke a nine-month string of declines in May, rising one-tenth of a point to 94.1. The first monthly barometer of the Illinois economy had declined each and every month since August 2008, falling in April to its lowest reading in more than six years.

Elected officials, agency officials and administrative professionals from all levels of government in Illinois have a new opportunity to enhance their leadership skills through the University of Illinois Leadership Academy.