NEWS ON JUVENILE SERVICES

THE PROBLEM: Approximately 1,800 youth are committed to the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) each year, costing the state over $100 million. Almost 25% of the committed youth are sent for "court evaluation," a 30 to 60 day commitment during which the youth’s needs are evaluated. Research demonstrates that non-violent youth are less likely to become further involved in delinquent or criminal behavior if they remain in their home communities and if appropriate services are available that address underlying needs – e.g., mental illness, substance abuse, learning disabilities, unstable living arrangement. Moreover, community-based services are less expensive than institutional care at IDOC.

Counties currently have a fiscal incentive to commit youth to IDOC: while a community-based program may be more cost-effective, the county must pay that cost; however, a commitment to IDOC is paid by the state – the county pays nothing. Redeploy Illinois is a strategy to change this fiscal Incentive and enable counties to build a continuum of care for youth in the juvenile justice system.

Redeploy Illinois is consistent with the Juvenile Court Act in that it supports and encourages local jurisdictions to develop plans for community-based treatment for juvenile offenders that protects communities, promotes accountability to victims and communities and equips young people with competencies to love responsibly and productively, while avoiding incarceration.

In addition, Redeploy Illinois is good for communities in that it promotes families, provides for better care for youth that is closer to home, is financially responsible and promotes local capacity building and collaboration.

1. Establishes a pilot to test the effectiveness of the program laid out in Public Act #93-0641 in increasing access to community-based services and decreasing commitments to IDOC.
2. Purposes and policies include treating juveniles in the leaqst restrictive manner possible while maintaining safety; affirming local responsibility for services in the community, and defining the role of state and local jurisdictions in the care of youth in the juvenile justice system.
3. Counties (or a group of counties) will develop a plan to be approved by the Illinois department of Human Services (IDHS) that specifies how it will reduce commitments of juvenile offenders to IDOC.
4. If approved, the plan will permit the county (or group of counties) to negotiate an agreement with IDHS to limit the number of commitments from that county to 75% of the average number of commitments over the prior three years.
5. Based on this agreement, the county will receive payment from the state to offset the costs of rehabilitating the youth within the county.
6. These funds will be used by the county for purposes of serving in community-based settings, youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Youth sentenced upon a finding of guilt of first degree murder or an offense which is a Class X forcible felony are excluded from participation in the initiative.
7. An inter-agency Oversight Board is responsible for developing plans to pilot Redeploy Illinois. Representatives from IDHS, IDOC, Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA), Administrative Offices of Illinois Courts, Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Illinois State Board of Education, Cook County State’s Attorney, Illinois State’s Attorney Association, Youth Serving Agencies and the Judiciary make up the Board.