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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, In 1974, Congress enacted the Juvenile Justice and
3Delinquency Prevention Act to support local and state efforts
4to prevent delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system
5and how it handles the cases of children and their families;
6and
 
7    WHEREAS, Youth of color are disproportionately represented
8at all stages of the juvenile justice system and rates of
9overrepresentation increase as children proceed through the
10system; and
 
11    WHEREAS, The Cook County Juvenile Court in Markham is one
12of the nation's busiest court houses, busier than Chicago or
13Los Angeles; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The demographics of youth of color from various
15regions reflect the major antecedents of high crime and
16"troubled communities", high unemployment, struggling
17educational system, high young population, and high rates of
18families that have a single head of household; and
 
19    WHEREAS, It is estimated that rates of post-traumatic
20stress disorder in juvenile justice-involved youth is
21comparable to rates of soldiers returning from Iraq, between 3%

 

 

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1and 50%; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Studies show that between 25% and 45% of prisoners
3in the United States have attention deficit hyperactivity
4disorder; recidivism rates are also high, with an estimated
5two-thirds being rearrested within about 3 years; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The creation of a Regional Juvenile Justice
7Council would build and expand on the work of the Cook County
8Juvenile Advisory Council (comprised of probation staff and
9"wards of the state" who work together) to facilitate
10community-based collaboration and perspective on oversight,
11research and evaluation of activities, and programs and
12policies directed towards and impacting the lives of juveniles;
13and
 
14    WHEREAS, A Regional Juvenile Justice Council would be
15comprised of representatives from Illinois Criminal Justice
16Information Authority Councils, Cook County Department of
17Public Health Domestic Violence Councils, local school
18districts, universities, and various stakeholders active in
19the region, including business persons, representatives from
20law enforcement, juvenile justice-involved family
21representatives, mental health professionals, social service
22agencies, representatives of the clergy, local leaders,
23elected officials, and representatives from Cook County

 

 

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1Juvenile Advisory Councils; and
 
2    WHEREAS, A Regional Juvenile Justice Council would
3incorporate the broader community with a focus on prevention,
4youth resilience, and community safety as they work together to
5provide a community perspective to influence local, regional,
6and State policies that effect juvenile justice and the youth
7in their communities; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The Office of Juvenile Justice seeks to reduce
9"disproportionate minority contact" by reducing over
10representation of youth of color in the justice system,
11reducing racial and ethnic disparities at each decision making
12point, and preventing youth of color from disproportionately
13entering and moving deeper into the juvenile justice system
14than other youth; and
 
15    WHEREAS, A Regional Juvenile Justice Council would seek to
16research the relationship between attention deficit
17hyperactivity disorder, childhood trauma, and juvenile
18delinquency, decrease disproportionate minority school
19arrests, increase school retention and academic performance,
20decrease curfew violations, decrease recurring arrests,
21increase positive group activities for justice involved youth,
22increase positive role models for justice involved youth, and
23increase positive messages that discourage violence and

 

 

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1delinquency; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Faith and community-based organizations provide
3critical leadership, knowledge, and passion when it comes to
4preventing and intervening in cycles of youth violence and
5delinquency around the country; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Throughout the nation, faith and non-profit
7organizations have taken on many tasks in order to keep young
8people safe and increase positive opportunities for young
9people; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Staff and volunteers from faith and
11community-based organizations mentor juveniles, counsel
12parents, teach classes, serve meals, sponsor after-school
13programs, conduct home visits, and work with law enforcement
14agencies to address and reduce the problems related to juvenile
15delinquency; and
 
16    WHEREAS, A Regional Juvenile Justice Council would be
17committed to enhancing the quality of life for all youth by
18actively advising the Governor, policymakers, and the public on
19matters related to improving system of care, enhancing
20interagency community collaboration, and promoting effective
21programming necessary to serving the needs of the whole child;
22therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL
2ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we encourage faith and
3community-based organizations to collaborate with law
4enforcement, juvenile justice, mental health professionals,
5educators, and businesses to develop and implement a Regional
6Juvenile Justice Advisory Council that researches and develops
7policies and interventions to address juvenile justice
8disparities and disproportionate minority contact through a
9collaborative process that takes full advantage of State and
10federal funding resources; and be it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
12delivered to juvenile justice-involved agencies and
13organizations through the State of Illinois.