NCJ Number
93468
Date Published
1983
Length
14 pages
Annotation
As part of the Illinois Juvenile Court Watching Project, members of the League of Women Voters visited offices of the Juvenile Field Service and Illinois Youth Centers. They found that these juvenile corrections facilities were vulnerable to proposed State budget cuts.
Abstract
The Project has three purposes: to obtain a State overview of facilities used by the juvenile courts, to increase community awareness, and to identify unmet needs. A primary focus of the visits was the impact State budget cuts would have on services for children. The League was concerned with what would happen to the children who now benefit from these services. Budget cuts may threaten accreditation by the American Correctional Association (ACA). Young people come into corrections with great needs in terms of mental health, education, and vocational skills. Only by addressing these needs can Illinois corrections successfully carry out preventative programs. The league heard repeatedly of diminishing community resources and the need for out-of-home placements, mental health treatment, job training, and opportunities for young people to earn money. Integration of the involved systems will enable young people to stay in their communities, or if sent to a facility, retain access to services after release. The League supports efforts to this end on the part of the Juvenile Division and opposes cuts to Field Services. The community should learn more about juvenile corrections procedures, as well as the possibilities and limitations inherent within these procedures. Unless the community is responsive to young people who get into trouble, society will pay the price for locking up these juveniles. The report includes a map with the locations of each Illinois Youth Center and each Juvenile Field Service district office.