I. Call to order
The meeting was called to order at 2:35.
II. Roll Call
Commissioners: Chairman Pamela Rodriguez, Rick Velasquez and Dana Weiner. For the purposes of reaching a quorum, Dana Weiner was made a member of the DMC Committee for this meeting only. Chairman Rodriquez requested that Randell Strickland be removed from the roll of the DMC Committee. Staff: Rob Vickery, Lin Ferguson. Guests: Lanetta Hanes-Turner, Howard Layton, Susan Witkin and Erica Hughes.
III. Approval of Minutes
Chairman Rodriguez made a motion to approve the minutes of the April 16, 2012 meeting. Commissioner Rick Velasquez seconded the motion. All in favor. None opposed. April 16, 2012, minutes were approved.
IV. DMC Assessment Quantitative-ICJIA
Erica Hughes reported that data from all of the counties using the Tracker Data System has been received, and have also received data from some of the larger counties, i.e., Winnebago, Cook, McHenry. She has asked some of the smaller sites that have reported to see if they have more data. She is working to mesh data not in Tracker System with the Tracker System Data. Chairman Rodriguez asked Erica Hughes to contact Chairman Timberlake concerning contacting a Champaign County Judge to acquire their data. Erica has also discussed with Tina Borner the automated Winnebago system, which was automated in August 2010. Ms Borner does not want us to use the 2011 data. Winnebago was able to give them most of the 2010 data, but there is one area they would like to use the 2011 data. Chairman Rodriguez asked Erica to work with Dana on combining the Winnebago data. We are on our projected timeline for the report. Erica is not using AOIC data, because it is not broken out by race. Probation data may be broken out by race, but that data has not yet been reviewed.
V. DMC Assessment Qualitative- CPRD
Susan Witkin reported that she is enmeshed with the survey that went live last Thursday, August 16, 2012 and “canned” format interviews. The survey will be available on line until August 24, 2012. They want responses from probation, police, detention, state’s attorneys, public defenders, DJJ staff and judges. Data base has been created and they have added information to it. As of Friday they received 450 responses. Approximately three-fourths of the responses are from the police and one-fourth are all the other groups. There are also 125 paper responses. The Chief of Police Association endorsed the survey and the Center for Public Safety and Justice from the University of Illinois sent out information about the survey. The key informant interviews have been going well. Four are scheduled this week and will schedule more. We have already interviewed 31 and our goal was 35, so we will exceed what we expected to do. The focus for these interviews are counties with a high minority population, but we have a good blend. Chairman Rodriguez added that our timeline for these analyses and recommendations is to have them completed by the end of this calendar year. Dana added that you want enough qualitative data to back up Erica’s report. Erica and Susan will meet to synchronize their reports. Pam would like the Committee to see the preliminary report at the October meeting. Other members of the Commission will be invited to the October meeting to have input on the preliminary report.
VI. Data Liaison
Dana Weiner reported that she is looking at what other states are doing with their data from the OJJDP website. She will also work with Susan Witkin and Erica Hughes to help them pull the data together. Dana asked if there are other questions the DMC Committee is trying to answer concerning DMC in Illinois. Chairman Rodriguez responded that we are trying to target certain areas where disproportionality is problematic. We also need some indications of things that are contributing to disproportionality so we can propose strategies to address it. We want to have a plan of action by the end of March that prioritizes our focus, as a Commission, and a state on reducing disproportionality. If there are a few communities where we see a problem, we will try to target our endeavors in those areas. Erica Hughes feels that when this assessment is done, it will lead us to future research. Susan Witkin stated that there is one theme that seems consistent; most people don’t know what DMC is. There is not training in DMC available at any of the agencies that she has talked to in relation to the interview.
VII. DMC Federal Requirements
A. Federal Site Visit – The federal site visit was postponed because Candice Jones resigned from her position as Executive Director. The visit will be rescheduled at some time in the future when we have a Executive Director. Chairman Rodriguez recommends that anyone that the Commission or DHS funds, should be required to attend the meeting. Commissioner Rick Velasquez recommends that we get the Illinois Juvenile Justice Leadership Council to encourage attendance at the meeting. Chairman Pam Rodriguez will ask Commissioner Esther Franco-Payne to engage that Council in supporting the federal site visit.
B. Compliance Update – Erica Hughes is unsure on how to move forward in this area. She knows what the issue is and how we want to fix it, but not sure how to move forward. They are dealing with how data is put into the website versus how it appears in our plan. Erica doesn’t want to change the plan versus the website. Chairman Pam Rodriguez asked Erica to e-mail Tina Borner to see how she would recommend IL moving forward.
VIII. New Business/Other
Lanetta Haynes Turner is a lawyer working for Cook County Justice for Children, which is an independent nonprofit organization, supported by private funds. They work to assure that the children and families who come to the attention of the court, either as a result of alleged crimes committed as juveniles, or alleged abuse or neglect, are protected, their development nurtured, and their legal rights represented. This agency will work in partnership with the leadership of the court to promote transparency while protecting client confidentiality, advance effective court protocol and procedures based on national and local best practices, and raise public awareness and understanding of the court, the detention center, and the children and families they serve. They will work with the courts on data collection. Ms. Haynes Turner is anxious to see the data that is made available from the DMC report, because it will be helpful with the work that they do.
IX. Adjourn
Motion to adjourn the meeting made by Chairman Pam Rodriguez. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Rick Velasquez. The meeting was adjourned at 3:30PM.