October 19, 2022 Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission Meeting

Audience

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

Date/Time

October 19, 2022 at 10:30am to 12:00pm

Location

Virtual/401 S Clinton

Join Zoom Meeting: https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/j/83147530088?pwd=QWdmcEdyZnFld3l0RnF6YlQ5MXBmdz09  

Agenda

  1. Welcome & Roll Call
  2. Approval of October 20, 2021 meeting minutes
  3. Executive Director Report
    1. Financial Report
    2. Administration Updates
  4. Committee and Work Group Status Updates
    1. Executive
      1. Action Item: Vote to approve IJOA grant proposal
    2. Youth Engagement
      1. Introduction and Youth Advisory Board Update
        1. YAB Partner, Joshua Brooks, Adler University
    3. Illinois Racial Justice & Equity Committee
    4. Planning & Grants
    5. Compliance Committee
  5. New Business
  6. Public Comment
  7. Adjourn

Minutes

  1. Welcome & Roll Call
    Chairman Rick Velasquez called meeting to order at 10:40am and announced that the Governor's Office has appointed three new members appointed to commission: Officer Candi Buhl, City of Canton; Michelle Progar, Asst. Director of Psychological Services,19th Judicial Circuit, Kaylin Davis, Consultant, Civic Consulting Alliance.
    Roll Call: Marshan Allen, Julie Biehl, Candi Buhl, Jacqueline Bullard, Kaylin Davis, Sav Felix, Jelani Floyd, Andrea Hall, Lisa Jacob, Amanda Klonsky, Michelle Mbekeani, Tamela Meehan, Briana Payton, Michelle Progar, Keyria Rodgers, Hon. Ben Roe, Hon. Stephen Sawyer, Rick Velasquez, Dana Weiner.
    Staff: Ebonie Epinger, Maribel Gonzalez, Andrea Hall, Kelsey Kleidon, Jacob Mason-Marshall, Peg Robertson, Jessica Scheele.
    Guest: Anavictoria Avila, Joshua Brooks, Cam Clark, Dequan Garner, Leyda Garcia-Greenawalt, Randi Goodwin, Brian Harrington (King Moosa Hip Hop activist Juvenile Justice advocate), Deja Little, Destine Phillips, Devonta Savage-Jackson, Julia Schick, Luisa Tembo.
  2. Approval of May 18, 2022, Meeting Minutes
    Motion: Rick Velasquez called for a motion to approve meeting minutes from May 18, 2022. Commissioner Sav Felix moved for approval of the minutes. Commissioner Julie Biehl seconded the motion. Motion carried. No abstentions. No opposition.
  3. Presentation: Juvenile Fees and Fines in Illinois
    Commissioner Michelle Mbekeani welcomed speakers from Loyola CIVITAS Children Center and UC Berkeley Law Policy Advocacy clinic to present on efforts to eliminate fees and fines in juvenile court system in Illinois and nationwide.
    Presenters Leyda Garcia-Greenawalt, a second-year law student at Loyola and part of their CIVITAS Child Law Center in Legislation and Policy Clinic, and Luisa Tembo, a Master of Public Policy student at the UC Berkeley Law School working with the student-led Policy Advocacy Clinic introduced themselves and their work as part of the Debt Free Justice Coalition.
    The presentation highlighted the impact that fees have on youth and families explaining that through court judgements for non-payment, parental liability, and other barriers to social mobility these fees do more harm to individuals than good. Leyda Garcia-Greenawalt stated that their collaboration with states nationwide has successfully eliminated and reduced fees and fines in 20 states and that they are now working as part of the Debt Free Justice Illinois Coalition, a 3-tier committee including partners and supporters, on a campaign to pass SB-3621 sponsored by Senator Robert Peters and Representative Justin Slaughter.
    The presentation concluded with an appeal to commission for support of the Debt Free Justice Illinois Coalition and their research by connecting them with resources available in the commission's professional network, providing feedback on SB 3621, sharing an attorney survey with their network, and spreading information to gain bi-partisan support of the bill in the Illinois General Assembly.
    Rick Velasquez thanked presenters, expressed commission's full endorsement of the work of the Debt Free Justice Illinois Coalition, and invited questions from the commission. Hon. Ben Roe asserted that this has not yet been presented to juvenile committee but guessed most, if not all, of juvenile committee would be supportive of something of this nature. Commissioner Briana Payton asked what, if any, opposition has been experienced to this work. Luisa Tembo answered that there has been no official opposition but bill has not yet reached committee. Association of State's Attorneys is neutral on the bill and Coalition has been working closely with Circuit Court Clerks who have no position on the bill.
  4. Title II FFY21 Compliance Determination & Next Steps
    Rick Velasquez invited Executive Director, Andrea Hall to review the Executive Director report with the commission and any updates. Andrea Hall reminded commission to complete state-mandated Ethics, Harassment, Security Awareness, and Diversity and Equity trainings. Andrea Hall continued that for FY23, the commission has awarded funds totaling approximately $1.7 million in the form of five grants in Juvenile Justice Councils, 12 grants in youth-serving programs, one systems improvement, and one training and technical assistant as part of a continuation grant. Because of a delay in contracts with IDHS, many providers have not been paid. One provider has issued notice to IDHS that they will suspend services until the contract is finalized so that they can submit their bills. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OOJDP) has approved the commissions compliance manual and provided compliance determination letter.
    Upcoming events: 
    CJJ Racial and Ethnic Disparities Conference, Nov
    State Relations and Assistance Division, OJJDP Conference,
    2023 IJJC Meeting Calendar is available, note Racial Justice and Equity Committee will now meet bi-monthly.
    For federal FY21, OJJDP found that Illinois was out of compliance for jail removal which resulted in a 20% reduction of Title II funding. This reduction will come out of the commission's FY21 allocation. 79% of statewide violations for jail removal are coming from the City of Chicago. A maximum of 6 hours hold time is allowed by OJJDP, however the state of Illinois allows for 12 hours. The commission has sent a letter to all district commanders to inform them about OJJDP'd core requirements of jail removal. Chicago Police Department Legal Department, the Bureau of Control, and a group of district commanders team have reached out to meet with the commission to explore avenues to move toward compliance.
    This reduction will have an impact on FY24 funds for grantees. Planning and Grants Committee will meet soon to discuss FY24 to address constraints on budget including the 20% reduction coupled with a mandate to spend half of allocation on jail removal. In the past, there has been investment in transportation for downstate counties.  OJJDP is a year behind in grantmaking meaning that Illinois will likely be out of compliance again for federal FY22.
  5. Committee and Work Group Status Updates
    1. Compliance
      Co-chair Lisa Jacobs stated need for strong work plan around other aspects of compliance obligations such as data collection and onsite monitoring of facilities, but Compliance Committee work is urgently looking to address what is happening at municipal lockups in Chicago.
      Conversations with Technical Assistance provider that OJJDP has available to commission include discussion of strategies for:
      1. Taking fewer youth into custody
      2. Altering physical layout and practices within a lockup
      3. Reduce amount of time spent by youth in adult lockup
      4. Assessment of holding prior to release type (home, detention facility, etc.)
    2. Planning & Grants
      Lisa Jacobs shared that commission has to be responsive to this decrease in funding and allocate funding to meet jail removal compliance.
      The committee will conduct site visits with each current grantee to let them know what we're going through with funding as well as to learn more about their work and what they are seeing at the local level. Preference will be to complete site visits in person as safety allows. Committee will reach out to commissioners to ensure at least one commissioner attends each site visit.
    3. Racial Justice & Equity
      Rick Velasquez announced that Commissioner Michelle Mbekeani will step back as chair of this committee due to growing work, study, and familial obligations. Commissioner Tamela Meehan will transition to role and co-chair with Julia Schick. Julia Schick stated that committee met in May, June, Aug, Sept and there were some working group meetings in between as well. Progress has been made to support local jurisdictions in their RED work including analyzing previously submitted data to identify areas with higher disparities at multiple decision points. Expanding discussion around data collection to create FY22 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Plan. Reflection on 2021 Plan and opportunities for improvement and adjustments. Plan submitted in September and OJJDP requested that Illinois share the plan on a national call. The committee is now making a more simplified plan for the general public to review. The committee is finalizing the training and technical assistance plan, using a workgroup structure to focus on qualitative data collection and another on technical assistance. The frequency of meetings is also being assessed to give space for this work to move forward.
    4. Youth Engagement
      Rick Velasquez shared that Commissioner Tamela Meehan will be stepping down from her role as co-chair of the Youth Engagement Committee. to share updates regarding youth engagement work. Commissioner Meehan expressed her gratitude to the team connected to this committee and all the work accomplished. She shared news of the recent graduation ceremony held to celebrate youth who were part of process. The Youth Advisory Board is continuing to meet on a regular basis and currently brainstorming a project such as a youth summit for the spring.
      Joshua Brooks continued highlighting that four YAB members attended this meeting, and several attended the Coalition for Juvenile Justice Summit in Tacoma, Washington inspiring work on hosting a summit of their own. The Youth Advisory Board has continued to meet biweekly. Mr. Brooks added that members have expressed interest in joining commission committees. A new co-facilitator, Karlyn Francois, will be onboarding to replace Anthony Young for this group to explore topics such as the cycle of socialization related to juvenile justice. Mr. Brooks concluded by reflecting on the upcoming one-year anniversary of the creation of this group and thanked the young people involved. Chairman Velazquez congratulated and thanked Mr. Brooks and the young people present indicating that their participation at the local and national level is a tremendous value to the work of the commission.
    5. Executive
      Chairman Velasquez sought motion for voice vote to ratify the action of Executive Committee review and approval of 3 contracts:
      1. Juvenile Justice Council in St. Claire for $75,000.00
      2. Northeast DuPage County Youth and Family Services Bureau for $75,000.00
      3. Illinois Collaboration on Youth (ICOY) for $350,000.00
        Commissioner Jacqueline Bullard motioned to approve this action. Commissioner Sav Felix seconded the motion. Lisa Jacob abstained from the vote of ICOY's budget item, disclosing that she is a board member of ICOY. None opposed. Motion carried.
  6. New Business
    No new business.
  7. Public Comment
    No public comment.
  8. Adjourn
    Keyria Rogers motioned to adjourn. Tamela Meehan seconded. None opposed. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 11:59 am.