November 18, 2020 Executive Committee Meeting

Audience

Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission Executive Committee Members and Staff. The public is welcome to attend.

Date/Time

November 18, 2020, 10:00am to 12:00pm

Location

  • Video Conference

Agenda

  1. Call to Order
  2. Welcome & Roll Call
  3. Approval of September Executive Committee Meeting Minutes
  4. Compliance Monitoring
  5. Committee and Work Group Status Updates
    1. Planning & Grants
      1. Rural grant
    2. Racial & Ethnic Disparities
    3. Youth Engagement
    4. Deflection & Diversion "JISC" Taskforce
    5. Detention Screening
  6. Three Year Planning Process
  7. Public Comment
  8. Adjourn

Minutes

  1. Call to Order
    The meeting was called to order at 10:32 am. 
  2. Welcome and Roll Call
    Commissioners: Lisa Jacobs, Era Laudermilk, Briana Payton, Honorable Stephen Sawyer and Rick Velasquez.  A quorum was established. Staff and Guests: Andrea Hall, Katy Culleeny, Anahi Chacon and Sosina Tesema. 
    Chairman Velasquez provided an overview of the meeting agenda and introduced Judge Sawyer as a new Commissioner and guest for this meeting as someone to provide information about a detention issue in Marion County.
  3. Approval of September Executive Committee Meeting Minutes
    Mr. Velasquez called for a motion to approve the September minutes. Briana Payton moved approval. Lisa Jacobs seconded the motion. Motion passed.
  4. Compliance Monitoring
    Mr. Velasquez invited Katy Culleeny to provide updates to the committee on compliance monitoring. Ms. Culleeny explained that Illinois may exceed the allowable number of jail removal violations for the federal fiscal year and as a result the Commission is in jeopardy of losing partial funding. Ms. Culleeny explained that current Illinois law allows youth to be held for twelve hours while the federal law only allows for six. To that end, Vice Chair Lisa Jacobs explained that legislative efforts to rectify this in the past were met with staunch opposition from police and sheriffs' associations in the past. Currently, the Commission has no formal authority to enforce this compliance matter. Ms. Culleeny also explained that the de minimis number, or number of allowable violations, has been steadily decreasing and discussed a few other reasons as to why there may be a high number of violations. Mr. Velasquez expressed that despite the reasons the violations may be occurring, especially regarding any impacts of the pandemic, an effective, statewide system of monitoring is needed to remedy the issue. Mr. Velasquez invited Ms. Jacobs to outline possible strategies. Ms. Jacobs expressed in the short term, for ICOY to continue to map out and build an understanding of the issue, and that without a data base it is hard to track patterns. Mr. Velasquez agreed and highlighted Washington State as a potential model for their data collection methodology. Ms. Jacobs explained that the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) may have both the leverage and capacity to financially support upgraded data systems in localities where that is a barrier.
    Mr. Velasquez invited Judge Stephen Sawyer to speak about a sight and sound separation issue happening in Marion County. Judge Sawyer explained that a 17-year-old has been held in adult jail in Marion County for the past six months. According to the Illinois law any youth held for long periods of time in an adult facility is to be given access to all services they would otherwise have in juvenile detention. Committee members discussed the matter and potential remedies further. For these kinds of cases, possible recourse includes a grievance filed by the sheriff or an injunction filed, by the public defender, with the circuit court. Mr. Velasquez requested the committee move ahead on the agenda to the three-year planning process.
  5. Three Year Planning Process
    Ms. Hall updated the committee on the three-year planning process. The next meeting will be hosted by the Center for Coordinated Assistance to States (CCAS). Ms. Hall explained there may be opportunity to review data and Mr. Velasquez mentioned he contacted a Ms. Miranda Johnson of Loyola University to present on education as a critical piece of the strategic planning. Mr. Velasquez explained further that the role of the Commission is to consider various topics, such as police in schools, in reference to how and if the Commission plays any role. Ms. Hall and Ms. Jacobs also raised timing, especially in relation to deadlines, currently unknown, from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).
  6. Committee and Work Group Status Updates
    1. Planning & Grants
      1. Rural grant
        Ms. Hall informed the committee that the rural grant application was successful.
    2. Racial & Ethnic Disparities
      Mr. Velasquez and Ms. Laudermilk provided updates. Mr. Velasquez is in the process of speaking with a contact at the Department of Children and Family Services about their participation. Ms. Laudermilk announced the plan is to invite members and have the first meeting early next calendar year.
    3. Youth Engagement
      Ms. Payton updated the committee on the status of the youth engagement work. The committee recently met and are in the planning phases. Ms. Payton will meet with partners at MIKVA Challenge.
    4. Deflection & Diversion "JISC" Task force
      Ms. Hall updated the group on the distribution strategy for the report, including dissemination to all aldermen, the Black Caucus and the Women's Caucus.
    5. Detention Screening
      No updates.
  7. Other Business
    Mr. Velasquez asked about the status of preliminary program updates and the necessity for concise updates from grantees (site visits). Ms. Jacobs clarified that the timeline for those were driven by the release of Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), that the programs can be reviewed at any time, but it is not clear, at this time, if the state will do continuation or competitive grants for the upcoming fiscal year.
    Ms. Hall explained that for Fiscal Year 2022, there would be at least a 10% reduction in funding.
  8. Public Comment
    There was no public comment.
  9. Adjourn
    Mr. Velasquez called for a motion to adjourn. Ms. Jacobs motioned to adjourn; Ms. Laudermilk seconded the motion. Motion Passed. Meeting Adjourned at 12:01pm.