Illinois officials say the $7 million announced for efforts to move incarcerated non-violent offenders into community-based programs comes from the state's general revenue fund.
Gov. Pat Quinn announced the money Sunday, saying community programs save money and are shown to produce better results in rehabilitating non-violent offenders.
The grants are going to 34 counties through the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.
Quinn's office says that since 2011, the program has diverted more than 1,000 non-violent offenders. State officials estimate in 2012 the sites spent $4,400 per person versus approximately $21,500 per capita in incarceration costs.
