I. Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 10:11 AM.
II. Roll Call:
Chairman George Timberlake, Commissioners Lisa Jacobs, Dana Weiner, George Hill, Rick Velasquez, Julie Biehl, Arthur Bishop, Esther Franco-Payne, Michael Rodriguez, Ben Roe, Randell Strickland. Eugene Griffin and Wayne Straza by phone. Staff: Julie Stremlau, Karrie Rueter, Lin Ferguson, Ron Smith, Stephanie Kollman, Erica Hughes, Michelle Arnold, Jeff Bradley, Michael Holmes. Jim Bray and Susan Witkin by phone. Guests: Nels Nelson.
Chairman Timberlake introduced three guests at the meeting. Ashley Ellis, Edward Rangel and Ethan Viets-VanLear have requested to be youth members of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission. At this time, their applications have not been fully processed through the Governor’s office. The members look forward to their approval and participation on the Commission.
III. Approval of Minutes:
Motion to approve the minutes of the July 18, 2012 meeting was made by Commissioner Bishop. Seconded by Commissioner Velasquez. All in favor. None opposed. Minutes were approved.
IV. Project Reports:
A. Raise the Age:
Stephanie Kollmann reported on the steps taken to fulfill the charge given by the General Assembly and a preliminary report of the data since the age was raised through a Power Point presentation. The outcome is that the new law does not overwhelm the system and training is needed at the local level. Next step is to make recommendations to General Assembly. Final recommendations will be presented, reviewed and approved at the November Commission meeting.
B. Juvenile Sex Offender:
Anita Weinberg presented preliminary information on the Juvenile Sex Offender Study. Ms. Weinberg congratulated the work group on the progress they have made on this study in response to legislation introduced in 2011 in the Illinois General Assembly. The goal is to come back in November with proposed recommendations for the Commission to consider. Major talking points were: Over the four year period of time studied 1400 youth were arrested for JSO and 179,000 were arrested on other charges. Almost none of the youth arrested exhibit deviant sexual behavior. The number of repeat-offenders is very low.
C. Parole Study Update:
No update available.
D. Reentry Update:
Rob Vickery reported that both Reentry grantees are up and running. Both agencies are serving about 10 kids with more referrals coming in. Performance measures are being updated and will be complete very soon. Commissioner Jacobs added that we are learning more about the parole system and hope to be able to recommend changes as we move through the grant period and learn more.
E. Youth Engagement:
There are three new youth candidates: Ashley Ellis, Edward Rangel, and Ethan Viets-VanLear. They will be added to the Commission Roster as soon as the approval process is completed by the Governor’s Office.
F. IJJC Website:
Donna Taylor of Youth Network Council distributed a handout of website design. She asked for comments and feedback on its appearance. The website will be ready for testing very soon.
G. IJJC Membership:
Commissioner Strickland has returned to the Commission after a brief respite due to family matters. Chairman Timberlake asked Committee chairs to work with YNC staff as we transition Youth Network Council into actively engaging in Committee work of recording minutes, scheduling meetings, etc.
V. Data Liaison:
Commissioner Weiner explained the spreadsheet she is compiling. She plans to visit each Committee to determine their data needs. The spreadsheet will be a resource listing of what data is currently available and what future data is needed.
VI. Status of Funds: Title II and JABG
A. DJJ Funding Update:
Title II FFY09 and FFY10 extensions were approved. We are examining how funds are distributed and when they are available to us to expend. Chairman Timberlake had a productive meeting with DHS. A list was compiled of what needs to be done to achieve the transfer of funds from ICJIA to DHS. DJJ Funding – Planning and Grants in October and November will focus on the Reentry Projects and how those are working. This project requires close collaboration with DJJ, although the funds don’t go through DJJ. In November the screening and assessment grants will be the focus. Commissioner Weiner has been asked to participate in that conversation.
B. 2nd Chance Demonstration Continuation Grant:
The grant application was filed in July and it has been approved for $750,000 for two year period.
C. JJ Reform & Reinvestment Demonstration Project Application:
Application was submitted and we are awaiting approval.
VII. Program Updates: Process & Timeline
A. Domestic Battery Program:
Will issue monograph in December. The program will continue.
B. Transportation:
Commissioner Velasquez reported that the team is scheduled to meet with the 2nd Circuit the second week of October to review their grants. Jeff Bradley reported that there will be two conferences as part of the Casey Funds reengagement.
C. DOC/Compliance:
Ron Smith reported that the Compliance reports are at the JJ Legal Department. Commissioner Bishop will follow-up with the progress of the reports. There were problems in Vermilion County that Jeff Bradley has been able to resolve. Sight and Sound is not a problem. 42% increase in jail removal.
VIII. Committee Updates/Motions for Consideration
A. Communications:
Commissioner Biehl announced that the Committee is planning five community briefings around the state on Youth Reentry Program. They will be completed by December 2012.
B. JDAI:
No further report than Transportation and Domestic Battery as indicated above.
C. DMC:
Erica Hughes reported that they are still receiving data from the non-Tracker sites. She is matching it against the Tracker data sites. Update to the DMC Committee is scheduled in October. Plan to have DMC report completed by December. Susan Witkin is working on the qualitative side of the data and she and Erica will be meeting to mesh their studies into one report. The DMC training/meeting with OJJDP has been postponed. Erica will work with OJJDP and Michelle Arnold of YNC. Michelle will be assisting with the DMC Coordinator duties until a full time replacement has been hired.
D. Executive:
Quorum was not acquired at the last meeting, so no decisions were finalized. It was announced that budget revisions are necessary to OJJDP. Chairman Timberlake asked the Commission if they will approve the extension of funds from OJJDP. Commissioner Hill made a motion to give Chairman Timberlake the authority to approve the extension of funds from OJJDP. Commissioner Griffin seconded the motion. All in favor. None opposed. Motion carries.
E. Planning and Grants:
See report above in section VI.
IX. Legislative Update:
Legislation introduced in the house in spring 2012, Senate Bill 2899, which would allow Cook County to be divided into geographic subdivisions along several lines. That subdivision could be identified as a Redeploy site with its targets identified for that subdivision rather than the entire county. SB2899 was referred to Rules and has not moved. It will be brought up again in the Fall Veto Session.
X. Redeploy -Non-Commission Funded Program Updates
(Redeploy, JCEC, EUDL, NRI):
A. Redeploy:
The Annual Report is finished and has been mailed to stakeholders. Judge Payne and Chairman Timberlake are making a presentation on Redeploy and Redeploy Focus to the Council of Judges on Friday, September 21, 2012. All of the Chief Justices will be in attendance. There will be a Planning Grants Meeting on Tuesday, September 25, 2102, in Chicago. This will hopefully increase interest in the Program and result in additional funding for next year.
B. JCEC:
JCEC will meet again in November. Chairman Timberlake does not have a timeline for the JABG transfer.
C. EUDL:
No report
D. NRI:
This program is at the Authority and is at half-funding, they are doing more work with less money but are doing well.
XI. Federal & National Committee Updates (FACJJ, FCC, CJJ): FACJJ:
A. FACJJ:
Commissioner Ben Roe is the delegate and cannot attend the next meeting on the September 18-19, 2012, Chairman Timberlake will attend in his absence. Chairman Timberlake has been appointed to the Evidence Based Practices Committee. The Committee has met twice. Chairman Timberlake also attended the Ogle Information Transfer Task Force and learned a great deal. They accepted juvenile justice issues as their next three-year priority, particularly outcomes. Commissioner Griffin has agreed to either be a presenter or a member of that Committee.
B. FCC:
No report.
C. CJJ:
New set of webinars is up. They continue to advocate for OJJDP funding.
XII. Other:
Illinois doesn’t have a statewide group that recognizes good work being done in the trenches in juvenile justice. Chairman Timberlake wants to create an excellence award and present it to a woman who works in juvenile justice with kids every day in her hometown. Commissioner Hill made the motion to provide the Chairman with the authority to create such an award. Seconded by Commissioner Roe. All in favor. None opposed. Motion carries.The citywide BARJ Committee meets tomorrow.
XIII. New Business:
A. Andi Durbin explained that YNC and IL Collaboration on Youth have merged into one agency. The merge is registered with the Secretary of State of Illinois. This will build and enhance the work that is done with the Commission.
B. Chairman Timberlake asked members to plan a retreat in the near future. Commissioner Velasquez added that he would like to have a firm direction of what we want to accomplish in the retreat. Commissioner Strickland added that it might help to have facilitators for each discussion point. Commissioner Griffin suggested that we have discussions within the Commission rather than bringing outside speakers. Commissioner Jacobs indicated her reluctance on the likelihood of the Commission planning and hosting a retreat before the end of this year. Chairman Timberlake asked the Planning and Grants Committee and the Executive Committee to take this discussion under consideration at their next meetings.
XIV. Adjournment:
Commissioner Biehl made a motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Franco-Payne.The meeting was adjourned at 2:05 PM.