Announcement, Press Release |
It’s graduation season, and many Chicago-area families are celebrating their children’s graduation from colleges and universities. Unfortunately, some young people involved in the criminal justice system have never considered college for themselves and see a limited future.
Leaders of the Sauk Village Restorative Justice Community Court hope to correct that attitude for its participants. The court has hosted its first college tour for program participants, visiting Governors State University, Prairie State College and Prairie State's Workforce Development and Community Education Program. Participants also learned about opportunities at South Suburban College.
This initiative marks a significant step in the court's vision to become a vital community hub, offering exposure and opportunities that extend beyond the resolution of individual cases, according to Sauk Village RJCC Presiding Judge Ieshia Gray.
“One participant indicated that he's lived down the street from Prairie State College his entire life, but had never stepped inside the building until the college tour,” Gray said.
The Sauk Village Restorative Justice Community Court, which opened in July 2024, has scheduled its first graduation ceremony for Aug. 4. The court provides an alternative to traditional criminal court proceedings for young adults aged 18-26 facing nonviolent charges. By focusing on healing, reconciliation, and community involvement through restorative conferences and Repair of Harm Agreements, the court aims to reduce recidivism and foster genuine rehabilitation.
The Sauk Village court is the first restorative justice community court in the south suburbs of Cook County and one of four county-wide.
More than 600 people have participated in Restorative Justice Community Courts since the first one opened in the North Lawndale neighborhood in 2017. Participants have a low recidivism rate of 13% within one year of enrollment, compared to 65% of similarly situated young people whose cases are adjudicated in traditional court proceedings, according to an internal court study.
The college tour is the first of many planned initiatives designed to broaden the horizons of the Sauk Village court's participants.
“Beyond addressing the immediate harm caused by their actions, my desire is for the Sauk Village Restorative Justice Community Court to evolve into a true community anchor,” said Judge Gray. “This college tour marks the beginning of a broader journey—one rooted in restoration, accountability, and transformation. It opens a window to new possibilities and affirms that the participants in our program are more than the worst thing they've done. By exposing them to higher education, we are restoring hope, affirming their worth, and investing in their power to transform not only their own lives, but the future of our communities.”
The Rev. Derrick Rice, Court Coordinator, said the court’s aim is to restore young men and women to “wholeness - a wholeness exemplified when they are their 'best' selves.”
“Exposing them to the possibilities of higher education is a vital step in that journey, offering pathways to personal and professional growth that can reshape their futures,” said Rev. Rice.
Media Contact: ocj.press@cookcountyil.gov
(312) 603-5414
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