Summary
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Following years of debate over the direction and effectiveness of juvenile justice in Illinois, a major overhaul of the system took effect Jan. 1. The Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 1998 adopts a balanced and restorative justice model for Illinois' juvenile justice system. The intent of this approach is to balance the needs of the offender with those of the victim and the safety of the community. The new provisions, also known as the Juvenile Justice Reform Provisions of 1998, try to strike a balance between the juvenile justice system's longstanding orientation toward rehabilitation and the more recent trend toward a more punitive system that holds juveniles accountable for their actions. "It really is a third alternative, or approach, to doing things," said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Randall Roberts, a supervisor in the delinquency division of the state's attorney's office and one of the principal architects of the legislation. The extensive changes span several statutes, from provisions on juvenile records under the Children and Family Services Act, to motor vehicle offenses under the Illinois Vehicle Code. But the most significant changes are in the delinquency statute of the Juvenile Court Act (705 ILCS 405, Article V). (excerpt).
Link: www.securitymanagement.com/library/icjia.txt
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