NCJ Number
238951
Date Published
February 2012
Length
62 pages
Annotation
This study by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency examined the current state of juvenile detention in Cook County, IL, and offers recommendations for the future.
Abstract
Key findings from this evaluation include the following: since 1998, the population of youth in detention in Cook County, IL, has dropped from an average of 600 a day to 300 a day; while 44 percent of juvenile detention admission are released generally released within 7 days, those youth facing adult charges could remain in detention for a year or longer; 51.5 percent of youth admitted to detention were charged with property offenses or statutory violations; in 2009, 4 percent of youth admitted to detention were age 13 or younger, with over half of those facing changes for property offenses, drug offenses, or statutory violations; and Black youth in Cook County are arrested at 5 times the rate of White youth and detained at 46 times the rate of White youth. This study was conducted by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency to evaluate the current state of juvenile detention in Cook County, IL, and to offer recommendations for improving the detention needs of the county and its youth. The report has four main sections: Detention Population and Practice; Program Management; Physical Facility; and Information Systems. Each section includes information on the current situation, opportunities for reform, and recommendations for policymakers and criminal justice officials. Tables and appendixes