NCJ Number
247340
Date Published
August 2012
Length
48 pages
Annotation
This report provides a detailed summary of youth exiting Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) after a full delinquency commitment, from demographics and offending history to recidivism into the adult system.
Abstract
This study provides information on juveniles incarcerated in Illinois by examining re-arrest and re-incarceration of 3,052 juveniles released from the IDJJ in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Results show that the average age of a youth at release was almost 17 years old, and most youth were serving sentences for property offenses (43 percent) or offenses against a person (31 percent). Youth examined had an average of five prior arrests, and 79 percent had at least one prior arrest for a violent offense. Youth released after serving sentences for drug offenses had the highest average number of prior arrests. Less than one-quarter of youth released had previously been incarcerated. Eighty-six percent of youth in the study were re-arrested within 3 years of release. Youth released after serving sentences for sex offenses were the least likely to be re-arrested. Seventy percent of youth were re-incarcerated during the study period. Forty-one percent of youth were incarcerated at least once for a new offense and 53 percent of youth were re-incarcerated at least once for a technical violation of parole. Tables, figures, references, and appendix