JUVENILE PROBATION-Balanced and Restorative Justice Initiatives

JUVENILE PROBATION AND COURT SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Balanced and Restorative Justice Initiatives

Station Adjustment Collaboration	Violence Intervention Program
Community Liaison Program	Victim Impact Panels for Minors
Diversion Compliance Program	Jump-Start Program
Choices Program	Victim Advocacy Program

The Juvenile Probation and Court Services Department has developed a series of pre- and post- adjudication programs in response to the Balanced and Restorative Justice section of Public Act 90-590 (Juvenile Justice Reform Act). The purpose of these programs is to hold juvenile offenders accountable for their conduct while at the same time helping them to develop positive life skills to enable them to become productive members of the community.

Station Adjustment Collaboration
This program facilitates collaboration with the Chicago Police Department's Youth Division in coordinating services for youth receiving station adjustments in the 8th, 12th and 13th Chicago Police Districts. Services provided through this program address delinquency prevention and early intervention strategies.

Community Liaison Program
This program coordinates networking with community agencies and groups to identify local delinquency issues. The program serves to facilitate community participation in a variety of programs including Victim Impact Panels, Mediation Programs, Community Panels for Youth and Teen Courts. A resource directory and library relating to Balanced and Restorative Justice issues is currently being assembled.

Diversion Compliance Program
This program coordinates referrals between the Office of the Cook County State's Attorney's diversion programs and the Intake Screening/Diversion probation officers.

Choices Program
This program is paired with the regular preliminary screening conference. All minors and parents diverted from formal court action will be directed to a daily on-site presentation. Topics presented include resisting peer pressure to become involved in drugs, alcohol or gangs, preventing violence and examining the impact of delinquency on the community and on individual victims.

Violence Intervention Program
This program utilizes the Straight Talk About Risks (STAR) educational curriculum developed by the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence. Program participants attend the Schwab Rehabilitation Institute's In My Shoes program which incorporates discussions with victims of violent offenses.

Victim Impact Panels for Minors
This program requires minors to attend at least one victim impact panel which is patterned after the DUI (driving under the influence) victim panels for adult offenders.

Jump-Start Program
This program teaches life skills and basic competence to one of the most challenging populations, 16 to 18 year-old delinquent drop outs. A high level of accountability by the minor to the community and the court is required. This program operates in partnership with the Street Dreams job development program by facilitating the minor's transition from the Jump Start program to employment within the community.

Victim Advocacy Program
The goal of the Victim Advocacy Program is to help reduce the immediate and long-term impact of being a victim while promoting the accountability of the offender. The program focuses on victim-based efforts to prevent delinquency, victim panels and classes, and family group conferences. A special component of the program which operates in partnership with the Cook County State's Attorney's Victim Witness Unit allows the Juvenile Probation and Court Services Department to obtain victim impact information. The sharing of this information enhances the probation officer's opportunities to encourage actions that demonstrate empathy on the part of the offender, including the writing of apology letters to victims and performing offense-related community service.