Illinois Juvenile Justice Reform

Floor Speech

Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, as a proponent of smart and fair crime policies, as well as improving the effectiveness of the juvenile justice system, I would like to commend my home State of Illinois for its recent reforms in this area. I have long supported and sponsored legislation in Congress to ensure that children are treated appropriately, whether they are sexually exploited victims who do not belong in the criminal justice system, or whether they commit crimes and deserve targeted assistance or punishment. As one of several States in the Nation moving away from a punishment-based juvenile justice system and toward one of rehabilitation and prevention, Illinois has been nationally recognized for its progress. Two recent laws in particular have advanced our treatment of youth in the criminal justice system in Illinois.

First, as of January 1, 2010, 17-year-old misdemeanants in Illinois are no longer automatically filtered into the adult justice system. Under Public Act 95-1031, 17-year-olds charged with misdemeanors will now have access to the juvenile courts rather than the adult system. This change will allow more youth to participate in much-needed rehabilitation services such as mental health, drug treatment, and community-based services.

In addition, the state legislature took another step forward by enacting Public Act 96-1199 last year. This law requires the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission to study the impact of expanding the juvenile court's jurisdiction to 17-year-olds charged with felonies. It also requires the Commission to develop timelines, propose a funding structure, and submit a final report to the Illinois General Assembly by December 31, 2011.

These new State laws will help our state use its resources more effectively and give more young people the opportunity to live productive lives. In their efforts to further these goals, I would also like to commend two of our juvenile justice advocates in Illinois. Betsy Clarke is the founder and president of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Initiative and has spent more than 20 years advocating for the youth of our state. Along with leading efforts to reduce the prosecution of youth in adult criminal courts, she has supported Redeploy Illinois, a program that emphasizes community-based alternatives over secure confinement. Redeploy Illinois has saved Illinois taxpayers millions in corrections costs. Ms. Clarke also played a role in the formation of the new Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice and legislation requiring early counsel so youth can obtain quality legal representation from the beginning of their dealings with the criminal justice system.

Grace Warren is the co-director and family organizer for the National Parent Caucus, a group of parents and family members dedicated to keeping youth under the age of 18 out of the adult criminal system. She became involved in this public awareness campaign in 2004 when her 17-year-old son was convicted and sentenced as an adult. Previously, she worked with the Tamms Year Ten Campaign and the Illinois Coalition for Fair Sentencing of Children at Northwestern University. She currently volunteers with the John Howard Association of Illinois, monitoring juvenile and adult facilities, and she recently provided testimony to the Federal Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice on the importance of family engagement by juvenile and criminal justice systems.

In this time of shrinking state budgets, it is important to recognize efforts to improve outcomes for our youth and communities which also utilize our state resources more effectively. With the recent juvenile justice reforms in Illinois and the hard work of two dedicated leaders in this field, Illinois is well on track to succeeding in these goals. I commend this progress, and I will continue to wholeheartedly support these efforts through my work in the U.S. Senate.

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