Cook County Juvenile Justice System Leaders Pledge Support for Rehabilitation Over Incarceration

CHICAGO, Feb. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An unprecedented partnership of community groups and government leaders today announced their commitment to a set of principles to improve the Cook County juvenile justice system with an emphasis on rehabilitation of young people and use of incarceration as a last resort. The text of the commitment and coalition membership list can be found at the website of the Illinois Justice Project: http://www.ILJP.org.

The 10 principles in the "Commitment to Improvements in the Juvenile Justice System in Cook County" was agreed to by a broad coalition of over 60 local business, civic and religious organizations and the following Cook County officials:

• State's Attorney Anita Alvarez;
• Public Defender Abishi C. Cunningham Jr.; 
• Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans; and
• Board President Toni Preckwinkle

The coalition members and Cook County leaders agreed to "renew Cook County's commitment as the home of the world's first juvenile court to treat justice-involved youth in age appropriate ways, incorporating the most effective and humane policies, using incarceration as a last resort based on the totality of the case and the character of the youth."

The document states that the leaders of the juvenile justice system and the coalition members "are committed to working together to improve the juvenile justice system in Cook County and have agreed to uphold certain principles in order to protect public safety, make wiser use of the County's limited resources, and improve outcomes for justice-involved youth, victims, witnesses and the community."

CONTACT: Jim Bray
217-494-5532

SOURCE Illinois Justice Project

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