Numbers Don’t Lie

Racial breakdown

This is the population of Illinois youth under the age of 18. Compare with the chart below that shows the race/ethnicity of youth in IDJJ facilities.

While only 15% of Illinois youth are Black, Black youth make up over 70% of the IDJJ population.

Staff and youth

Large youth prison buildings are costly because they require many staff to operate. But despite a high proportion of staff to youth, few of these jobs are primarily focused on positive youth interaction. We envision an IDJJ where the number of staff is appropriately tailored to the needs of youth -- not the buildings they are housed in -- and where the skills of the Department's employees and members of the young person's own community can be creatively used to support youth success.

REgions/Counties

The columns on the left show the percentage of IDJJ youth from each region of Illinois. Compare those to the columns on the right to see how some areas send a higher percentage of their young people to prison. For example, 40% of IDJJ youth hail from Central Illinois, although only 14% of Illinois youth live there. We envision state support for community-based youth services to ensure that IDJJ reflects regional equity for young people throughout our state.

offenses

Incarceration is traumatizing for young people, who continue to develop psychologically, physically, and emotionally even past the age of 18. Most youth at IDJJ are not incarcerated for high-level offenses.

Family Visits

All children require the support of their families and communities, something which youth committed to IDJJ are largely deprived of. 2019 data demonstrates that children in all five facilities endure long stretches of time without visitors. We envision a future where children remain close to home and where families receive support in obtaining transportation for frequent and meaningful visits with their loved ones.