Attendance
Commissioners:
Gary Leofanti, Chairperson; Rev. Charles Collins; Ann Dralle; Gene Griffin; Wayne Straza, Rodney Ahitow; Patricia Connell; George Hill and Andrew Jones.
Staff:
Karrie Rueter, Anne Cox, Deb McCarrel, Miguel Millett, Julie Stremlau, Ron Smith and Susan Cowen.
I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 12:50 PM.
II. Roll Call
Quorum declared present.
Chairperson Leofanti announced that it is the Rules of Procedure of the Commission Meetings for the commissioner’s to participate in the discussion and the staff are to participate at the request of the Commission, excluding Karrie Rueter as a principal staff person. He reminded the Commission that if a staff member would like to participate, then he/or she should raise their hand or participate at the request of a commissioner. Chairperson Leofanti also announced that the Governor has officially appointed him the Chairperson of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission (IJJC). The Vice Chairperson position is now re-opened. There will be an election at the December IJJC meeting for the Vice Chairperson position.
III. Approval of Minutes
Chairperson Leofanti requested a motion to approve the minutes. Rodney Ahitow motioned and Anne Dralle seconded. Minutes approved.
IV. OJJDP Federal Grants Application
Karrie Rueter stated that the 2008 funding has been awarded.
Status of Funds Report
Title II and Title V projections have money available going into this fiscal year. This amount is prior to deciding upon the Truancy Awards. There is money available from that total award to put to grants. The shaded column of the hand-out given is the Federal Fiscal year 2008 and what we currently have. The 2009 Projections are also listed. Karrie Rueter explained the budget pages. The 2008 Grant Expenditures is the final synopsis of what we spent. The 2009 is what we have suggested and are currently spending. The rest of the data is grants or contracts we already have. The Juvenile Officer Training has not gone out yet but will in the next month or so.
Technically the Department of Juvenile Justice has $230,000 dollars to spend over two years. They only spent $28,000 in that first fiscal year. We have actually taken out more than that. Presently we have $115,000 but will be doing amendments to fix that. We paid out more money than we spent so we have to pull that back. There is $100,000 set aside for the Truancy Applications, they have not been allocated yet.
Totals on the last two pages are effectively what is on the cover page but contains more detail. Total federal awards are listed there. It shows the amounts for administration, for compliance, commission members, commission travel and grants.
VI. Planning and Grants Sub-Committee
Patricia Connell gave the Planning and Grants Committee update. The Truancy Review Board RFPs were reviewed, discussed and voted upon by the Committee. The RFP’s approved in committee were Sangamon County, Peoria County, Kankakee/Iroquois County and Madison County. The Commission may have specific recommendations for certain RFP’s. The Planning and Grants Committee will work to address those recommendations.
Chairperson Leofanti motioned to approve the four sites recommended by the P & G Committee and Wayne Straza seconded. All in favor, Commission approved.
There is the money left over for the Truancy Review Board Grant. There will be a small group that will meet in October to discuss the 3-year plan and what to do with the excess money.
If necessary there is authorization for an emergency meeting.
The JJMHI update was discussed. The $250,000 the Commission has allotted also requires a separate dedicated budget line. Again, there is concern the Federal Medicaid reimbursement dollars will be spent for something else. Chairperson Leofanti is concerned if we don’t release those funds then dollars will get flushed to something else. Commission needs a motion to reverse motion on dedicated line item. There is a need to release dollars so GRF dollars do not get removed.
Patricia Connell motioned to reverse the condition of the establishment of the dedicated line in the budget and agree to release $250,000. Wayne Straza seconded. Gary Leofanti abstained and Rev. Collins abstained. Motion passed.
There is apprehension that the un-obligated Title V money will lapse. OJJDP policies have changed and it is getting harder to get extensions. It was proposed that the Commission allow the Executive Committee to decide how to spend the Title V money through a more comprehensive plan to spend all the Title V money
George Hill motioned Rodney Ahitow seconded. All in favor approved. Motion approved.
VII. DMC Sub-Committee
Miguel Millett, DMC Coordinator, gave the DMC Committee Report. The DMC quarterly reports and program plans have been revised. There is development of a Racial Coding Manual, it will be available soon. The DMC/Gear Up Leadership Conference, recently held in Champaign, IL was a tremendous success. The Chapin Hall DMC Survey/Evaluation Update is being finalized and will be distributed soon. A presentation by the Cook County DMC was given on July 31st. It was a full presentation to 12 delegates from Germany. It was a great exchange of information of juvenile justice and the education system. Models for Change is working on developing a report that discusses Redeploy, JDAI and DMC. The data-driven evidence will show how the programs compliment each other. The Chicago Urban League has a proposal in for Models for Change to do a DMC awareness campaign. The Englewood, St. Clair, South Suburban Chicago and Peoria DMC Initiatives continue to work on decreasing DMC in their communities. St. Clair County received a reclaiming teacher’s grant. They are one of six sites, in the nation, that applied and received the grant. DMC was found in compliance during the recent Federal Site Review. Please see DMC Minutes for more detailed information.
VIII. Compliance Update
Ron Smith gave the Compliance Report. Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders (DSO) is 28 violations this year, compared to 32 last year. Illinois continues to be in compliance with this requirement. Violations would have to exceed 188 to jeopardize our compliance status. Truancy violations have increased. Of the 28 DSO violations (17 were for Truancy, 2 were non-offenders and 9 were other status offenses) and zero in jails or lockups compared to 32 violations in detention centers (7 were for Truancy, 11 were non-offenders and 14 were other status offenses) and zero in jails or lockups for 2007. Ron Smith indicated that the increase of violations in these counties are attributed to the new judges. Counties have tried to address these issues with the judges but he feels these violations will continue and possibly increase.
Illinois continues to be in compliance with Separation of Adult and Juvenile Offenders (SSS) but there could be an issue in the future. T here is the issue with the different age requirements. Mr. Smith estimates that there will be 40 to 50 but that the number doesn’t matter because if you have one you are out of compliance. If you are found out of compliance, a plan must be submitted to correct it and you will continue to receive the money. At the end of the three years you will not receive funding.
Pat Connell added that she understood they were going to change of law about the age of majority. This will also change how the money will be taken away. The seventeen year olds currently in detention will be the issue as releasing them will be the desired step. The other issue is they are a juvenile when arrested but older when they get to trial. Separation and age are major issues.
Illinois continues to be in compliance with Jail Removal. Ron Smith stated these numbers tend to decrease at the end of the year. For instance, the new Chicago Police Department Juvenile Intervention and Support Center (JISC) will have 50 but this number will drop. The issue appears to be the trip from lockup to the center. It is a transportation issue. Ron states we will be way below our minimum.
Of the three months reviewed, it was not the parent’s failure to pick them up, it was the ride to the center. It seems the districts could not provide transportation or did not have transportation available to get the kids out.
The commissioners voiced their desire to visit the center. They will schedule that visit. It was noted that there are future plans are to open three more centers with discussion of using other agencies. It was mentioned that JABG has limited restrictions as far as the core requirements. The Commission wants the current Center to start complying better than they have been.
IX. Legislative Update
SB 1013 Redeploy Bill is expected to come back during the veto session in November.
X. Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice Update
Chairperson Leofanti is a member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice (FACJJ). This group reports to the President and Congress on Juvenile Justice. The Annual Report is being developed and will focus on leadership. It is an interesting project and the committee met in Chicago in August and the full group will meet in October, in San Diego, to finalize the report. Chairperson Leofanti will attend.
XI. Federal Coordinating Council Update
No report.
XII. JDAI Update
The annual report is due in August.
XIII. Redeploy Illinois Update
There is currently an RFP and it is posted. There was a Bidders Conference yesterday in Bloomington, IL. There was a very strong showing from McLean County. We have close to a million dollars to distribute. Those sites that participated in the planning grants process are eligible. We hope to get applications from everyone eligible.
There have been issues with Cook County. Karrie talked with the Project manager and Judge Payne. Cook County revised the plan to serve a fewer number of kids than their original application stated and there is an issue of whether they be able to spend their money and meet their numbers. They had money lapse. At this time, Cook County would not have to pay the penalty. Cook County has seriously considered dropping out. They are weighing their options at this point. DHS and the Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board (RIOB) are trying to do what they can. DHS has funded Cook County since April. They needed to reduce their numbers by 6% in order to be in compliance. Penalties come after that. George Hill stated that he thought there was an agreement that Cook County did not have to meet the requirements. Karrie replied that the statute change is what was allowed for the 6%.
XIV. EUDL Update
Anne Cox is the staff person that oversees the Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL). Established by OJJDP in 1998, EUDL is the only Federal initiative directed exclusively toward preventing underage drinking. The program is a $25 million initiative consisting of block grants to each State and the District of Columbia and discretionary grants to selected States to fund the best and most promising activities and research at the local level while seeking cutting-edge strategies to expand knowledge and positive outcomes. In FY 2008, OJJDP has allocated $350,000 in block grants toeach State and will fund EUDL discretionary programs in three States for up to $900,000 for a 3-year period. Block grants support statewide task forces of State and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies to target establishments suspected of a pattern of violations of State laws governing the sale and consumption of alcohol by minors. The grants also support public advertising programs to educate establishments about statutory prohibitions and sanctions. Innovative programs to prevent and combat underage drinking are encouraged.
The EUDL Block grant in Illinois supports statewide infrastructure that works with local communities to reduce underage drinking. The Illinois State Police provide law enforcement details in local communities such as bar checks, DUI patrols with an emphasis on underage youth, and special patrols. These details focus on both high school youth and college youth. The Chicago Police Department implements over 3,000 compliance checks on retail liquor license establishments per year. The Illinois Higher Education Center provides mini-grants to institutions of higher education engaged in environmental strategies to reduce underage drinking. Prevention First, Inc. provides 3 law enforcement trainings per year. These trainings are focused on best practice law enforcement strategies designed to reduce underage drinking.
The EUDL Rural Discretionary Project ended in March 2008. This project focused, for a three-year time period, on the implementation and evaluation of best practice strategies to reduce underage drinking in three rural communities in Illinois. The communities were Amboy, the west side of Carroll County and DeWitt County. The project is awaiting final data from the Pacific Institute of Research and Evaluation.
An RFP was submitted by DHS in June to OJJDP. The RFP was for a 3-year discretionary project, The EUDL College and University Initiative. DHS will receive notification of whether we have been selected in September or October.
XV. Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority Update
No report.
XVII. DHS Youth Services Presentation
This presentation will be revisited at the Commission meeting in December.
XVII. Other Business
The next Commission Meeting is to be held December 16th. The meeting will be held in Chicago. A private dinner is scheduled for December 16th, 2008 at 6:30 PM to honor Mike Mahoney.
XVIII. Adjournment
Patricia Connell motioned to adjourn the meeting and Rodney Ahitow seconded the motion. Meeting adjourned at 2:01 PM.