SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT-Programs Overview

Social Service

Juvenile Probation and Court Services

SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT
Programs Overview

Domestic Violence Program	Community Service Program
Family Violence Program	Diversified Caseload
Sex Offender Program	Cog Probation Programs
Violence Prevention/Intervention Program	Administrative Sanctions Program
Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Program	Court Ordered Fees

Domestic Violence Program

This program provides specialized supervision and group intervention to persons found guilty by the court of violent behavior against an intimate partner and who received a court order of reporting supervision or conditional discharge. The goal of the program is to stop all forms of violence. The two principles that determine and shape the intervention strategies are abuser accountability (for the violent behavior) and victim safety. Once the physical violence has ceased, the goal is to stop the other forms of violence and intimidation that offenders use to gain control over their partners.
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Family Violence Program

This program provides specialized supervision and group intervention to offenders found guilty by the court of violent behavior against a family member and who have received a court order of reporting supervision or conditional discharge. An individualized intervention is developed requiring intensive reporting and focusing on offender accountability. Frequent arrest checks and coordination with all treatment providers are essential. Victim contacts are made for the purpose of assessment and intervention.
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Sex Offender Program

This program employs skilled professional staff experienced in working with sex offenders to provide a highly structured, intensive supervision program for sex offenders. A specific and individualized intervention plan is established in order to break through an offender's entrenched denial, rationalization, minimization and manipulation. Offenders are referred for evaluation and treatment to community agencies that follow the standards of practice established by the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers.
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Violence Prevention / Intervention Program

This program delivers appropriate community-based correctional treatment services to young adult offenders. Through a dynamic process of assessment, strategic intervention and correctional measures, the court and its agent, the Social Service Department, in partnership with the community, direct offenders toward lawful, nonviolent behavior.
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Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Program

The Social Service Department is the designated agency in the Circuit Court of Cook County to supervise and provide services to defendants who are found guilty of driving under the influence (DUI). The Department recognizes that driving under the influence is a serious offense and may be an indication of a significant alcohol or drug problem. The Department's goal in providing services is to facilitate awareness on the part of the defendant so that he or she recognizes the consequences of drinking and driving and accordingly does not drink and drive. The Department also recognizes research that suggests that court intervention with the DUI offender is essential for long term and effective containment of the problem of drinking and driving.
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Community Service Program

The Social Service Department's Community Service Program is available throughout Cook County. The program objectives include the following:

To offer the court a sanction alternative for offenders placed on supervision or sentenced to conditional discharge.
To require offenders to participate in a form of reparation to the community.
To require offenders, through community service work, to perform positive and productive activity and to be associated with law-abiding citizens.

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Diversified Caseload

The Social Service Department's Diversified Caseload Unit provides individualized supervision and specialized interventions to individuals found guilty by the court of a variety of offenses, encompassing a multitude of felony, misdemeanor, traffic and ordinance offenses. As a result of this finding, offenders receive a court order of reporting supervision or reporting conditional discharge sentence.

In fulfilling the Department's mandate to direct offenders toward compliance with their court orders, caseworkers utilize a process of assessment to provide and facilitate correctional interventions and treatment appropriate to the charge and situation of each offender. Efforts are made to match the degree and level of services to the offender's risk of recidivism.

Cog Probation Programs

Based upon the most recent research about how particular life problems lead to criminal activity, the Cog Probation Programs bring about positive changes by challenging and changing the cognitive processes (thoughts, beliefs and attitudes) that precede criminal behavior. Cog probation is designed to deal with higher risk offenders. The central components are group meetings that follow lesson plans developed to have an impact on particular offender needs. Groups last for most of the time the offenders are under court order. Cog supports existing assets of offenders, while changing deficits in thought patterns.
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Administrative Sanctions Program

The Administrative Sanctions Program of the Social Service Department provides an alternative means of addressing technical violations of court orders in the Fifth Municipal District. In addition to providing some relief for large court dockets, the program also gives case managers an effective tool for responding swiftly to violations with appropriate correctional interventions that are in the form of sanctions. Cases eligible for administrative sanctions include reporting cases referred to the Department from courts in the Fifth District for which the offenders report to case managers in that district, as well as similar cases supervised by the Central States Institute of Addiction as the designee of the Social Service Department. Also eligible for administrative sanctions are offenders ordered by judges in the Fifth District to report solely for the purpose of performing community service through either the Department or the Sheriff's program.
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Court Ordered Fees

Effective in January 1992, state law enabled the court to impose a maximum $25.00 monthly fee on offenders sentenced to conditional discharge or placed on supervision. In response to the law, the Circuit Court of Cook County adopted a new court order mandating the imposition of this fee.