2008 Juvenile Justice Transportation Fact Sheet

Program Description

Target

Funds support detention centers in transporting youth in need of secure detention from county jail and municipal lock ups to juvenile detention facilities. Youth may be transported as necessary up until the point of adjudication.

Purpose

In 1998, the Illinois Juvenile Court Act was rewritten. It allows for juveniles age 12 and older to be detained in county jails and municipal lockups for up to 12 hours (24 hours for violent offenses); a direct contradiction of the federal JJDP Act which sets the limit at 6 hours. The Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission initiated several strategies to prevent noncompliance. Transporting youth in need of secure detention to juvenile detention facilities, who would otherwise be detained in county jails, is one of the strategies.

Delivery Method

Grants to rural communities support the transport of juveniles from rural counties to juvenile detention centers elsewhere in the state. There are four grantees located strategically throughout the state.

Program Data

Program Effectiveness

• Youth have been transported expeditiously from jails and lockups to detention centers thereby increasing the state's compliance with the federal JJDP Act. Transportation services were available for youth in 64 counties.
• Developed new reports to effectively track service population.