A newly issued Youth Reentry report by the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission found that the state is “failing” when it comes to the safe and successful reentry of juvenile offenders.
Highlights of the report include:
Fifty percent of youth that leave Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) facilities will be re-incarcerated in a juvenile facility
A large number of those who are incarcerated in an IDJJ facility will be incarcerated in an adult jail or prison in the future, and that the Illinois juvenile justice system is “a “feeder system” that leads to the adult criminal justice system and a cycle of crime, victimization, and incarceration
In 2010 the yearly cost of incarcerating a juvenile offender in a “Youth Center” was $86,861
The report suggested that instead of paying almost $87,000 a year to incarcerate a youth, the utilization of community-based strategies, for example, Functional Family Therapy ( under $3,500 a year), Multi-Systemic Therapy (under $7,300 a year), could save the state almost $80,000 per each youth, per year. The added bonus would be that each participant in a therapy program would be getting the help and support he or she needs.
The system of releasing youth from a IDJJ facility also came under criticism. The report concluded:
Release is determined by a youth’s offense and any disciplinary infractions committed while incarcerated instead of an “informed, objective determination” as to what is best for the youth and the public
There is no independent review mechanism that assesses or documents a youth’s rehabilitation, or that documents the appropriateness of continued incarceration
There are conditions of parole that restrict movement, prohibit activities, and mandate programs or services without evidence or meaningful basis and without support to encourage their completion
Other problems that were found in the IDJJ system include that youths’ constitutional rights are being violated by the “basic structure and process” of Prisoner Review Board revocation proceedings, and that “antiquated” software is ineffective to manage youth assessments, program progress, and public safety monitoring.
After examination the flaws in the IDJJ system, the report included recommendations for reform:
IDJJ must be equipped and accountable for youth for timely and successful release
Release hearings must come at IDJJ recommendation, at youth request, and at regularly- scheduled intervals
Prisoner Review Board must be highly qualified in juvenile specific issues
The State must develop detailed criteria for release
The state must establish standard protocols for determining and communicating release readiness
The Prisoner Review Board must appropriately convey release decisions and conditions to youth
Release hearings must be recorded and denials must be reviewable
Each IDJJ must have a legal advocate available
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