JHA Testimony on Expanding Jurisdiction of the Office of Independent Juvenile Ombudsman

JHA submits this testimony to the Illinois House Criminal Law Committee in support of HB 5273, the bill to expand the jurisdiction of the existing Office of Independent Juvenile Ombudsman (OIJO), which provides oversight to the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). The OIJO was established in 2015 and has made a difference in our system and in the lives of the youth in state custody since its inception. The benefits of the OIJO’s increased access to facilities, investigatory power, having an authority responsible for responding to youth grievances and issues, and reporting information to the public cannot be overstated. Humanity is increased when oversight is in place and resources are utilized more effectively to improve outcomes. In JHA’s routine facility monitoring we have observed the impact of the OIJO, and youth regularly report to us that they utilize the Ombuds office to get information, report problems and receive support.