I. Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 11:19am.
II. Roll Call
Present: IJJC Chairman Timberlake, Chairman Rick Velasquez, Rod Ahitow, Barb Shipp. Quorum Present. Staff: Julie Stremlau, Jeff Bradley, Heidi Mueller, Rob Vickery, Brent Frey.
III. Approval of Minutes
Commissioner Ahitow moved to approve, Barb Shipp seconded the motion. Minutes approved.
IV. Chair’s Comments
Chairman Velasquez explained the Illinois Juvenile Leadership Council is established under Supreme Court Justices Garman and Burke and DJJ Director Bishop. This is second phase of Models for Change focus for statewide reform efforts at policy level.
V. Illinois Juvenile Justice Leadership Council Priorities
Strategic planning has four areas: Data, Family Engagement, Substance Abuse and Mental Health and Diversion.
Committee has stakeholders, predominantly juvenile justice system representatives. Commission has representation on this group. There is overlap and common areas of interest. Judge Timberlake explained it is continuing on like Models for Change but it is not Models for Change. We need a structural component that brings all the people we need together.
VI. Compliance Report
Rob Vickery explained the compliance report. Rob is reformatting the report. The focus should be funding and education in areas where judges are sending kids to jail. Ron Smith commented that in the last 25 years AOIC has done nothing to assist in this data collection or to use the data. Chairman Velasquez wants to create a partnership with AOIC and would like the compliance report completed more often.
VII. Coordinator’s report
It was recommended to add site comments to the permanent JDAI agenda. We need to engage the sites. Barb Shipp commented that if we engage the sites on this new compliance report we can ensure their assistance. We need to determine how this report can help everyone, where the data is most effectively used and reporting on a quarterly basis. Need to get stakeholders to the table.
VIII. Old Business
A. IJJC Transportation Grant
- Franklin County Follow-Up
Jeff Bradley explained Franklin needs to talk about sustainability in their plan to be free of IJJC funding in 3 to 5 years. It is not the detention center but the county executives that need to do this. Grantees feel as though they have a responsibility they technically can’t handle. Commissioner Ahitow commented about funding Franklin and asked about other counties farther west? Will there be more requests for ongoing funding? Chairman Timberlake explained that Jefferson county would have the highest utilization but that kids being sent to Indiana and Kentucky where standards on conditions of confinement are not as stringent was the major reason behind funding Franklin. Commissioner Ahitow would like more data to show what we fund Franklin County for. Jeff Bradley will write a report for the Commission.
B. JDAI Conferences
C. All Sites Conference
- Conference Update
Jeff Bradley explained the conference. Many sites did not have all of their data available. We need to teach the sites how to analyze data and what to do with the information they find. Then moving forward and them doing collection and analysis on their own. It was recommended to have sites participate in the conference set up. The goal is to build capacity in the sites to collect and analyze their data on a regular basis and then use same in an effort to drive local policy in their governance structures. Risk Assessment Instrument was discussed; there is an ongoing effort to engage the VERA institute with the IJJC and AOIC to create a statewide screening instrument.
IX. New Business
Ron Smith and Jeff Bradley have been going to meetings for the jail standards unit of DOC. A draft was submitted to DOC jail unit. All persons under 18 would not be held in jail except while awaiting transportation or for investigatory purposes.
A. JABG FY’ 14 Funding
Sites have sent in their applications and budgets. Applications are being reviewed but due to transfer all will be accepted this year.
B. Adolescent Domestic Battery Program Updates and Opportunities
IJJC Executive Director Heidi Mueller explained the Domestic Battery project. Proposal reviewed by this committee. Discussed sites, doing technical assistance, etc. Explained staff needed and the budget. Proposal will be presented to full Commission for further review. Chairman Velasquez abstained from discussion or vote upon learning of a potential conflict of interest. Heidi explained that the conflict had not arisen and thanked Chairman Velasquez for his actions with respect to the issue.
X. Adjourn
Commissioner Ahitow moved to adjourn. Seconded by Chairman Timberlake, meeting adjourned at 12:50pm.