Announcement, Press Release |
The Sauk Village Restorative Justice Community Court (RJCC), the first of its kind in the Cook County suburbs, will celebrate its first graduating class at noon Monday.
Sauk Village will celebrate 10 graduates at the noon ceremony, to be held at the Sauk Village Community Center, 2700 Kalvelage Dr. The celebration is open to the community and media.
“We are proud of the successes of this south suburban court and its graduates. We hope to continue expanding the opportunities offered by Restorative Justice Community Courts to other parts of Cook County in the near future,” said Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans, who will be speaking at the event. “Communities can see the success of these programs and how they transform young lives through the power of a second chance.”
These courts assist young adults, aged 18-26, charged with non-violent felony or misdemeanor crimes reintegrate into their communities. They also aim to resolve conflict through restorative conferences and peace circles involving participants, victims, family members, friends, others affected by the crime and the community.
The peace circle process is used in the courts to reach a “Repair of Harm Agreement” between the participant and members of the community. A participant must agree to complete certain tasks, such as perform an act of community service, write a letter of reflection, obtain a high school equivalency diploma and/or undergo substance abuse treatment. If the participant successfully completes all the tasks set out in the agreement, the case will be dismissed and the offense expunged.
Victims are not required to participate, but if they choose, they may directly address the participant to express how they were hurt and what they need to heal from the crime.
For a case to be eligible for the court, the victim of the crime must agree to participate in the process. In addition, the person charged must:
Be 18 to 26 years old
Have been charged with a nonviolent felony or misdemeanor
Live, work or worship in one of the neighborhoods that has a community court
Have a nonviolent criminal history
Accept responsibility for the harm caused
The Hon. Ieshia Gray, who presides over the Sauk Village RJCC, said the court offers participants a chance to see a more productive future and return to their communities without a felony on their record.
“The Sauk Village Restorative Justice Community Court opened one year ago with a vision to transform lives and strengthen communities. Today, it is more than a courtroom—it is a place of hope,” Judge Gray said. “I am proud to witness our graduates taking accountability, doing the hard work, and turning setbacks into opportunities. Their growth, healing, and reclaimed futures are powerful proof that when justice restores, lives are truly transformed.”
The county’s first RJCC opened in North Lawndale in 2017. Courts opened in Avondale and Englewood in 2020, and in Sauk Village in July 2024.
The community courts have helped hundreds of participants reform their lives and avoid further contact with the criminal justice system. An internal study by the Office of the Chief Judge has found that, among individuals who have been graduated from restorative justice courts for at least a year, just 13.3 percent were charged with a new offense, compared to 65.2 percent of those from similar circumstances in a matched control group who were not in an RJCC program.
Media Contact: ocj.press@cookcountyil.gov
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