Illinois is among the four worst states in the U.S. for the rates of sexual abuse of juveniles being held in state custody.
Ill. among 4 worst states for sex abuse of juveniles in state custody Read Full Article »
“Disgusting” and “disturbing” are two words that were used quite a bit today, as the Illinois House Restorative Justice Committee held an emergency hearing to talk about the findings of a report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics on sexual abuse in the Illinois juvenile justice system. According to the report released last month, Illinois is among the four worst states in the country when it comes to juveniles being sexually abused while in detention facilities.
State panel holds hearing on sex abuse in juvenile detention centers Read Full Article »
This past week, the House and Senate Appropriators approved substantial reductions in juvenile justice funding, including critical funding to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system. The House bill contains only $20 million for all states to implement Title II of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The Senate bill recommends $50 million. Both are well below the president’s proposed $70 million.
On July 30, approximately 50 people gathered outside the Bilandic Building, 160 N. LaSalle St., to participate in a silent protest against the sexual abuse of incarcerated youth.
Activists protest sexual abuse of incarcerated youth Read Full Article »
Rep. Bobby Rush began by asking, “Where are the wise men and wise women?”
Then he answered: “I believe a lot of them are gathered here today.”
Urban violence summit held at Chicago State Read Full Article »
Reinvestment in struggling neighborhoods – from educational opportunities to jobs to health care access – could give young people a sense of hope and help stem violence plaguing Chicago and other cities, according to those who attended a summit Friday on urban violence.
Summit on urban violence in Chicago eyes solutions Read Full Article »
Law enforcement reminders of the consequences of criminal behavior are supposed to curb illegal activity, but some of these intimidation strategies may be backfiring, especially among youth.
In the latest study of stop and frisk policies, in which law enforcement randomly stop individuals for questioning even if they aren’t engaged in criminal activity, researchers found that those who were stopped were more likely than those who were not to engage in delinquent behavior later on.
Behavior ‘Stop and Frisk’ Stirs Up, Rather than Deters, Youth Crime Read Full Article »
Greetings from Chicago, the "murder capital of America," a toddlin' town that's "gaining a national reputation for violence," the site of a "mini-Holocaust" on the streets due to our "epidemic of gun violence," all in the recent words of TV talking heads. Chicago has become the go-to reference for anyone looking to evoke the everyday horrors of the streets in contrast to such high-profile but unusual incidents as the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in suburban Orlando, Fla., last year.
The times, they are a-changin' and it means critical improvements for our kids and communities. In state legislatures across the country, an undercurrent of reform driven by youth advocates and policymakers of both parties has inspired a sea change within juvenile justice systems nationwide. This is dramatically reversing a troubling trend in youth incarceration, while also benefiting kids, saving taxpayer money and keeping communities safe.
Making A Comeback For Kids Read Full Article »
Juvenile courts in Illinois now will be trusted with handling the cases of some minors previously tried as adults. It's a good thing that the cases against most 17-year-olds arrested for misdemeanors and felonies will be resolved in juvenile court beginning Jan. 1.
More flexibility in juvenile court Read Full Article »
