Your voice is needed! The Illinois General Assembly is meeting this week for the final week of the veto session. One of the items set to be considered by the Illinois Senate is legislation to create a new, independent Department of Juvenile Justice that operates separate from the adult prison system. The current system - a single Department of Corrections housing 44,000 adults and 1,600 juveniles - is overwhelmed by the needs of the adult population and emphasizes security and punishment rather than individualized treatment and the type of services that help youth avoid future run-ins with the law.

ACTION NEEDED: Call your state senator as soon as possible and tell him/her to vote "YES" on legislation to create a new Department of Juvenile Justice. A separate Department of Juvenile Justice with trained staff and individualized services and programs is the best means to reducing recidivism. It is a necessary first step for reform of our juvenile corrections system. If you are not certain of your state senator, visit http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/AddressSearch.aspx.

Nearly half - 46.6 % - of the juveniles who enter Illinois corrections system and serve their time return are incarcerated again - compared to a juvenile recidivism rate of 8 percent in Missouri whose separate Department of Youth Services is a model for the country. Illinois stands against the national trend as one of only ten (10) states with a combined juvenile and adult system. A separate department, in recognition of the developmental differences between youth and adults, can require that staff be trained appropriately to better counsel, educate and treat youth, and can offer programs and services tailored to the specific needs of each youth. You can read more about the legislation by reviewing a fact sheet developed by our allies at Chicago Metropolis 2020. The fact sheet can be found on the ACLU of Illinois website at http://www.aclu-il.org/legislative/alerts/sb92.pdf.

Please call your state senator today and urge him/her to support this critical first step toward reform of our juvenile justice system!