HB3718eng 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB3718 Engrossed LRB099 11130 RLC 31593 b

AN ACT concerning courts.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 is amended by changing Section 6-12 as follows:

(705 ILCS 405/6-12)

Sec. 6-12. County juvenile justice councils.

(1) Each county, region or subset of a county, or group of counties pursuant to an intergovernmental agreement, in the State of Illinois may establish a county juvenile justice council ("council"). Each of the following county and regional officers shall designate a representative to serve on the council: local law enforcement, the State Board of Education, the Department of Human Services, the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, the Chamber of Commerce, the sheriff, the State's Attorney, the Public Defender, Chief Probation Officer, and the county board. In addition, the chief judge may designate a representative to serve on the council.

(a) The council shall organize itself and elect from its members a chairperson and such officers as are deemed necessary. Until a chairperson is elected, the Justice Advisory Council Director or his or her designee, or if the county has no Justice Advisory Council Director, the State's Attorney, or his or her designee, State's Attorney shall serve as interim chairperson.

(b) The chairperson shall appoint additional members of the council as is deemed necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Article and whenever possible shall appoint a local Chief of Police and a representative of a community youth service provider. The additional members shall may include, but are not limited to, representatives of local law enforcement, juvenile justice agencies, faith organizations, schools, businesses, and community organizations.

(c) The county juvenile justice council shall meet monthly from time to time, but no less than semi-annually, for the purpose of encouraging the initiation of, or supporting ongoing, interagency cooperation and programs to address juvenile delinquency and juvenile crime.

(d) Local Advisory Committees, or "LACs", may represent local communities in each township. Twenty percent of each LAC shall be composed of local-justice involved youths aged 16-21. At least one youth and one adult from each LAC shall serve on their local Juvenile Justice Council. Each LAC shall establish a monthly meeting schedule, and shall bring their local issues, concerns, and recommendations to the Juvenile Justice Council.

(2) The purpose of a county juvenile justice council is to provide a forum for the development of a community-based interagency assessment of the local juvenile justice system, to develop a county juvenile justice plan for the prevention of juvenile delinquency, and to make recommendations to the county board, or county boards, for more effectively utilizing existing community resources in dealing with juveniles who are found to be involved in crime, or who are truant or have been suspended or expelled from school. The county juvenile justice plan shall include relevant portions of local crime prevention and public safety plans, school improvement and school safety plans, and the plans or initiatives of other public and private entities within the county that are concerned with dropout prevention, school safety, the prevention of juvenile crime and criminal activity by youth gangs.

(3) The duties and responsibilities of the county juvenile justice council include, but are not limited to:

(a) Developing a county juvenile justice plan based upon utilization of the resources of law enforcement, school systems, park programs, sports entities, and others in a cooperative and collaborative manner to prevent or discourage juvenile crime.

(b) Entering into a written county interagency agreement specifying the nature and extent of contributions each signatory agency will make in achieving the goals of the county juvenile justice plan and their commitment to the sharing of information useful in carrying out the goals of the interagency agreement to the extent authorized by law.

(c) Applying for and receiving public or private grants, to be administered by one of the community partners, that support one or more components of the county juvenile justice plan.

(d) (Blank). Providing a forum for the presentation of interagency recommendations and the resolution of disagreements relating to the contents of the county interagency agreement or the performance by the parties of their respective obligations under the agreement.

(d-5) Facilitating community based collaboration and perspective on oversight, research, and evaluation of activities, programs, and policies directed towards and impacting the lives of juveniles.

(e) Assisting and directing the efforts of local community support organizations and volunteer groups in providing enrichment programs and other support services for clients of local juvenile detention centers.

(f) Developing and making available a county-wide or multi-county resource guide for minors in need of prevention, intervention, psycho-social, educational support, and other services needed to prevent juvenile delinquency.

(4) The council shall have no role in the charging or prosecution of juvenile offenders.

(Source: P.A. 90-590, eff. 1-1-99.)