Juvenile Reentry

The fourth quarterly meeting of the Collaborative on Reentry was held on December 16, 2009. The focus of the meeting was on recommendations to reduce the juvenile detention population and to evaluate models for an effective aftercare system for youth committed to state facilities. There were over 150 attendees from a diverse group of government agencies, foundations, educational institutions and community-based organizations across the state of Illinois.

The day began with an impressive testimonial panel of 4 young people who have recently been through the juvenile justice system, moderated by Miquel Lewis, Ph.D. of the Cook County Probation Department. The group learned about the progress and challenges within the system from both Mr. Earl Dunlap, Federal Transitional Administrator for the Cook County Detention Center and Director Kurt Friedenauer of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (click here to view Dir. Friedenauer's presentation). There were two panel discussions including local, county and state officials to address juvenile reentry issues and lay the foundation for the afternoon breakour sessions. Over lunch, Carol Brown, Policy Director from the Mayor’s Office, briefly discussed the “Census 2010: Chicago Complete Count Campaign”. The afternoon proceeded with the group participating in four breakout sessions : No-Entry/Narrowing the Use of Detention; Post-Detention Strategies; Preparing for Release from IDJJ; Release and Re-admission Decisions from IDJJ.

For a detailed agenda, overall meeting summary, breakout session reports, meeting evaluation results and additional research materials, click on one of the links provided below:

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Packet Materials-Session Information

1. General Information

a. Charge and Action Agenda

b. List of Workgroup Participants

c. Progress Report of Workgroup Activities (August –December 2009)

d. Principles of a Model Aftercare System, July 2009, Juvenile Reentry Workgroup

e. Areas of Focus for Recommendations from the Subcommittees on Cook/Detention and IDJJ/State

f. “Models for Change: Systems Reform in Juvenile Justice – Framework,” 2004, National Center for Juvenile Justice

g. “Potential for Change: Public Attitudes and Policy Preferences for Juvenile Justice Systems Reform – Executive Summary: Illinois,” 2007, Center for Children’s Law and Policy

h. Second Chance Act FY09 Funding Results, September 2009, Bureau of Justice Assistance

2. Alternatives to Incarceration

a. Summary of Juvenile Probation and Court Services – Programs and Initiatives, 2009, Circuit Court of Cook County

b. “Redeploy Illinois Annual Report: Implementation and Impact,” 2008, Illinois Department of Human Services

c. “The Costs of Confinement: Why Good Juvenile Justice Policies Make Good Fiscal Sense,” 2009, Justice Policy Institute

d. “Evidence-Based Juvenile Offender Programs: Program Description, Quality Assurance, and Cost,” 2007, Washington State Institute for Public Policy

e. “Cost-Effective Youth Corrections: Rationalizing the Fiscal Architecture of Juvenile Justice Systems,” 2006, Justice Policy Institute

3. Youth Corrections

a. IDJJ Transition Team Draft Recommendations, June 2006

b. IDJJ Briefing to Juvenile Reentry Workgroup, July 2009

c. “Guide to Developing and Implementing Performance Measures for the Juvenile Justice System,” 2006, American Prosecutors Research Institute

4. Aftercare

a. “From Corrections to Community: The Juvenile Reentry Experience as Characterized by Multiple Systems Involvement. Final Report to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority,” 2009, Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago

b. “Back on Track: Supporting Youth Reentry from Out-of-Home Placement to the Community,” 2009, Youth Reentry Task Force of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Coalition

c. “Study Measures Impact of Government Services on Juvenile Community Re-Entry,” 2008, Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority Research Brief

d. “Joint Policy Statement on Aftercare,” 2005, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania