A kinder, gentler juvenile justice system

Illinois moving toward rehab and data to reform youth prisons

Nine years after splitting from its parent agency, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice continues to struggle at fulfilling its mission. However, a new action plan released earlier this year seems to be pushing the agency in the right direction.

The plan calls for both legislative and procedural changes that would see fewer young people behind bars and more receiving the help they need to successfully reenter society. A progress report released last week shows IDJJ has a clear vision for reforms and is already implementing some. Read the story in the Illinois Times.