Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission
ANNUAL REPORT TO THE
GOVERNOR AND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
for Calendar Years 2007 and 2008
February 10, 2009
To the Governor and Members of the General Assembly:
On behalf of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, I am pleased to present the Annual Report to the Governor and General Assembly for Calendar Years 2007 and 2008. This report is intended to inform and guide those individuals and organizations with an investment in the juvenile justice system in Illinois on behalf of its youth. The report is also presented to judges, law enforcement officials, juvenile justice practitioners, policymakers, youth services providers and other interested parties across the state who are part of the juvenile justice system, to assist them in their work with youth. The Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission is a twenty-five (25) member board that serves as the mandated State Advisory Group appointed by the Governor pursuant to Illinois statute. It is the Commission’s statutory responsibility to submit an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly that highlights the State’s accomplishments, its most urgent challenges relative to juvenile justice in Illinois, and its recommendations for addressing those issues. The Commission administers, through the Illinois Department of Human Services, the federal funds allocated to Illinois through the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The Commission works to ensure accountability to the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention while focusing on the needs of Illinois’ juvenile youth. This report is intended to bring to light current trends and issues concerning the Illinois juvenile justice system. This report documents Illinois’ status of compliance with the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act as well as recent accomplishments and recommendations for improving the juvenile justice system in Illinois. System reform efforts will be successful in Illinois with the collective resolve of the executive branch, lawmakers, and public and private entities with a vested interest in ensuring public safety while providing Illinois youth every opportunity to succeed.
Sincerely,
C. Gary Leofanti, Chair
Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission
Chairperson
C. Gary Leofanti
Olympia Fields
Vice Chair
Wayne M. Straza
Countryside
Commissioners
Rodney Ahitow | Cuba
Rev. Charles Collins | Freeport
Patricia Connell | Evanston
Ann Dralle | Lemont
Kurt Friedenauer | Springfield
Eugene Griffin | Chicago
George H. Hill | Decatur
Hon. Janet Holmgren | Rockford
Andrew Jones | Chicago
Darrell L. McGibany | Edwardsville
Samantha Person | Chicago
Seth Ragland | Chatham
Pamela F. Rodriguez | Chicago
Table of Contents
Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC)
Separation of Adult and Juvenile Offenders
Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders (DSO)
Jail Removal
Compliance Monitoring
Juvenile Justice Data
Access To Counsel
Detention Alternatives
Mental Health
Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice
Summary
The Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission (the Commission) serves as the federally mandated State Advisory Group to the Governor, General Assembly and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) in developing, reviewing and approving the State’s juvenile justice plan for the expenditure of funds granted to Illinois by the United States Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). The Commission also is responsible for submitting an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly with recommendations regarding the State’s compliance with the four core requirements of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDP Act) and its provision of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention programs and services.
The authority of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission is specified in Illinois Statute as cited below.
“There is hereby created the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission which shall consist of 25 persons appointed by the Governor. …The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
- Development, review and final approval of the State’s juvenile justice plan for funds under the Federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974;
- Review and approve or disapprove juvenile justice and delinquency prevention grant applications to the Department for federal funds under that Act;
- Annual submission of recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly concerning matters relative to its function;
- Responsibility for the review of funds allocated to Illinois under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to ensure compliance with all relevant federal laws and regulations; and Function as the advisory committee for the State Youth and Community Services Program as authorized under section 17 of this Act, and in that capacity be authorized and empowered to assist and advise the Secretary of Human Services on matters related to juvenile justice and delinquency prevention programs and services.”
(20 ILCS 505/17a-9)
In administering the federal JJDP Act funds, the Commission works to ensure Illinois’ compliance with the core requirements of the act. Additionally, it works to instill the principles of Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) within Illinois’ juvenile justice system. The Commission must also ensure that programs and policies are responsive to the developmental stages and needs of children and youth.
In its effort to monitor trends, formulate policy and direct funding, the Commission annually funds the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) to research, compile and present annual data on Illinois’ risk factors and the juvenile justice system. The most recent report is Juvenile Justice System and Risk Factor Data: 2005 Annual Report . It presents a broad range of relevant data to juvenile justice professionals and an explanation of risk factors and their importance to the juvenile justice system.
The federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act comprises several titles, two of which are relevant to the Commission. Title II supports a broad range of juvenile justice activities at the state and local level. Title V supports prevention efforts conducted by units of local government. Funding for these two broad activities has decreased significantly in Illinois since FFY2005. In that year, Title II received $2.7 million and Title V, approximately, $600,000. By FFY2008, funding for Title II had decreased to$2.3 million (15% decrease) and for Title V, $48,000 (91% decrease). The decrease is due to federal funding priorities rather than compliance penalties.
The purpose of the annual report, first and foremost, is to review the Commission’s progress toward and recommendations for compliance with the requirements of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. These requirements include Disproportionate Minority Contact, Separation of Adult and Juvenile Offenders, Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders, Jail Removal. In addition, the report presents activities of the Commission to foster critical components of the juvenile justice system within Illinois: juvenile justice data collection, access to counsel, detention alternatives, mental health, and the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. The report covers fiscal years 2007 and 2008.