News Release
Contact: Malik Russell 202-271-0742 or mrussell (at) justicepolicy.org

Splitting Juveniles from Adults the Best Way to Begin Investing in Youth Say Advocates
JUVENILE SYSTEM OVERSHADOWED BY ADULT SECURITY AND PUNISHMENT
ILLINOIS ONE OF TEN STATES WITHOUT SEPARATE JUVENILE SYSTEM

CHICAGO, IL—As the first step in improving conditions and rehabilitation for incarcerated juveniles, African American public officials, attorneys and youth advocates have rallied behind legislation to create a separate department for juveniles outside of the Illinois Department of Corrections.
“A lot of people give lip service to investing in our kids, supporting SB92 is actually something that allows people to invest action in the rehabilitation of our youth, “said state legislator and bill sponsor Annazette Collins (D-Chicago).
SB92, as amended, would create a separate Department of Juvenile Justice solely for juveniles. It would also force future hires that deal directly with youth to be at least 21 and to hold a college degree in criminal justice, education, psychology, or a related field, similar to requirements for other state employees who deal directly with youth.
These measures according to advocates and supporters of the bill are the first steps in creating a juvenile justice system capable of rehabilitating young people as opposed to the current system which more than anything else prepares them for adult prison. Under the current system, nearly 47 percent of those youth incarcerated return to the juvenile system within 3 years.
”The Juvenile Court, founded in Illinois, recognizes the developmental differences between youth and adults,” said Betsy Clarke, president of the Juvenile Justice Initiative. “The security needs of the expanding adult prison population have overshadowed the opportunity to turn around the lives of the decreasing number of youth who need treatment and services. We cannot afford a failure rate of nearly 47 percent,” added Clarke.
Supporters of the bill are hoping lawmakers will consider this legislation during the upcoming veto session which runs from October 25th to Nov. 4th. Public awareness is essential, say supporters, to the future of rehabilitation for our youth.

Advocates believe passage of this legislation to be a huge step in reforming the state juvenile system which disproportionately impacts African American youth who make up over 50% of youth confined, but less than 20% of the states population.


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Organizations supporting a new Department of Juvenile Justice


• ACORN
• American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois
• Black Women Lawyers Association
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Freeport
• Catholic Conference of Illinois
• Center for Urban Economics
• Chicago Area Project
• Chicago Council on Urban Affairs
• Chicago Department of Children & Youth Services
• Chicago Metropolis 2020
• Chicago Urban League
• Child & Family Law, Loyola University
• Child Care Association of Illinois
• Children & Family Justice Center, Northwestern University
• Children’s Home Association of Illinois
• Civic Federation
• Community Behavioral Healthcare Association of Illinois
• Cook County Bar Association
• DuPage County Area Project
• Edwin F. Mandel Legal Aid Clinic, University of Chicago Law School
• Family Cares Mission
• Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois
• Generations of Hope, Rantoul
• Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police
• Illinois Chapter of the American Association of
Pediatrics
• Illinois Coalition for Community Services
• Illinois State PTA
• Jewish Children’s Bureau
• John Howard Association
• Juvenile Justice Commission
• Juvenile Justice Initiative
• Kids Hope United
• Latino Youth
• League of Women Voters of Illinois
• Loyola University, Chicago, Civitas Childlaw
Center
• Martin Luther King Jr. Center, Freeport
• Metropolitan Alliance of Congregations
• Our Children’s Homestead
• Protestants for the Common Good
• Safer Foundation
• South Suburban DMC
• TARGET Area Development Corp.
• United Way of Illinois
• Voices for Illinois Children
• Youth Outreach Services