Studies

Studies

The League of Women Voters takes action on an issue only when we have a position addressing it. If the members have not studied and come to consensus on it, the League has no position and therefore cannot take action. Studies (whether national, state, or local) are a defined process lasting one to three years, during which we undertake thorough pursuit of facts and details, both positive and negative, and come to consensus about policy. The careful research of our League make us a powerful advocate, and creditable resource for positive change. Find the list of studies from across the nation in our League of Women Voters Education Fund Clearinghouse for studies.

What Is The Study Process?

Study Committee members fashion consensus questions that are then asked of the membership as part of a study kit. Kits often include articles, books, data in the form of charts and graphs, videos, suggested speakers, discussion questions, and other resources. Members use the study kit internally and often with their community to better understand the issue.

  1. Consensus is the overall decision-making process by which substantial agreement among members is reached on an issue. Often this happens over the course of several meetings, but may include surveys and other methods. If the members reach consensus, the board forms recommended positions based on that consensus. Those recommendations are submitted to the Study Committee.
  2. The Study Committee then reviews all the submissions. It works to form a consensus statement - the statement resulting from the consensus questions - that becomes a recommended position.
  3. That recommended position is then reviewed and voted on by our members (usually by delegates at our Convention). The proposal may be approved, amended, or be rejected at that time.
  4. If a position is adopted, firm action can then be taken on the particular issue addressed by the position. Without a position, action can not be taken on that issue. 

Read the national Guidelines for LWVUS Studies.

League of Women Voters Roselle/Bloomingdale Completed Studies

Through our study on 708 Community Mental Health Boards in 2015, we discovered there were many unmet needs for the prevention and treatment of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse.

Our League decided to tackle that challenge and formed grassroots groups separate from the League to gather signatures and organize the effort. To inform the community, our League hosted informational groups on what a board would do. The referendum passed, and the Bloomingdale Township Community Mental Health Board provides about $1 million a year in grants to meet unmet needs through 20 different programs. Thanks to the Board, we now have social workers for police departments in the Township as well as many other programs.

From the experience of organizing our Township, we have participated in the formation of 9 grassroots groups (including Arlington Heights, Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, Naperville, and more) we helped communities and Leagues put referendum questions on their ballots, and 8 now have community mental health boards.

We anticipate these boards will provide $8-10 million a year in additional funding to meet the many unmet needs for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse. 

Decreased government education funding, declining student populations, lagging achievement, growing expectations for academic offerings, costly accountability measures, and high property taxes compel us to question: Are we getting the most out of every education tax dollar?

The League of Women Voters of Roselle-Bloomingdale conducted a formal study in 2023-24 to answer that question and create our position on consolidating the five elementary school districts that feed Lake Park High School including: Bloomingdale (SD 13), Itasca (SD 10), Keeneyville (SD 20), Medinah (SD 11), and Roselle (SD 12). 

The LWVRB recommends that all five Lake Park High School feeder elementary school boards jointly commission an expert report to determine the financial impact of consolidating district administrations to redirect those high expenses to the classroom and perhaps provide some relief to property taxpayers. 

League of Women Voters of Illinois Criminal Justice Study

At the 2017 LWVIL State Convention in Des Plaines, delegates approved a study to update its position on criminal justice during the 2017-2019 biennium. LWVIL’s position on criminal justice had last been revised in 1995. 
 
Since 1995, much has changed in the criminal justice system. During the 1980s and 1990s, legislators responded to higher crime rates and widespread drug activity with harsh legislation: mandatory minimum sentences, longer sentences even for non-violent crimes, revocation or severe reduction in “good time” credits for people in prison. This response has resulted in overcrowded prisons and increased recidivism of those who leave prison. Prompted by this situation and encouraged by lower crime rates, legislators have become more open to criminal justice reform. “Best practices” and “evidence-based practices” in criminal justice have been developed and are being considered and/or adopted in the federal criminal justice system and in a number of state criminal justice systems. The State League criminal justice position failed to address some important aspects of the complex criminal justice system and the changes that were happening or being proposed. A formal study process was undertaken. The resulting report may be found HERE. 
 
Ultimately, the LWVIL Position on Criminal Justice was updated in 2021 and may be found in Where We Stand, beginning on page 14.