NCJ Number
199004
Date Published
March 2002
Length
252 pages
Annotation
This report presents three case studies of juvenile justice processes that were changed or created due to Illinois' Juvenile Justice Reform Provisions of 1998 (Public Act 90-590).
Abstract
The featured change of the Juvenile Justice Reform provisions is the incorporation of the philosophy of balanced and restorative justice (BARJ) in juvenile justice policy and practice. The three juvenile justice processes examined in the case studies were a program that has adopted the BARJ philosophy; an extended-jurisdiction juvenile prosecution; and police station adjustments, particularly the distinction between formal and informal station adjustments. The case studies describe the processes and the perspectives of individuals involved in the processes. The program that has adopted the BARJ philosophy is known as family group conferencing. In this process, juvenile offenders, their guardians, victims, community members, and other interested parties meet and discuss juvenile offenses. Participants state the impact the offense has had on them, and then the participants recommend a plan for remedying the harm caused by the offense. The case study of this program includes an actual case that was handled through a family group conference. The second case study of an extended-jurisdiction juvenile prosecution involved the imposition of both a juvenile sentence and an adult sentence, with the adult sentence being stayed if the juvenile complied with all conditions of the juvenile sentence; otherwise, the adult sentence would be enforced. The extended sentence intends to give juveniles who commit serious crimes a "second chance" to avoid prison, while using the potential adult sentence as a deterrent to future criminal activity. The third case study describes the distinction between formal police station adjustments and informal station adjustments for juveniles. Station adjustments provide juvenile police officers with the opportunity to intervene or redirect juveniles who have committed crimes by managing the case at the police station, then releasing the juvenile without referring the case to court. Station adjustments may require minors to complete one or more conditions, such as community service and/or restitution, as part of a plan to make juveniles accountable for their actions without involving the juvenile in formal juvenile justice court processing. This report on these programs and processes identifies potential advantages and disadvantages of the changes involved. 9 tables and 7 figures