Announcement by Governor Pritzker to Transform Juvenile Justice in Illinois

JHA applauds Governor Pritzker’s announcement today to move away from a juvenile justice system that is overly punitive, utilizes harsh adult prisons and is detrimental to youth development and success. Governor Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Stratton outlined a vision to transform juvenile justice in Illinois to a system that is nurturing, rehabilitative, and keeps all families safe by focusing on what youth need, not on what they did. Closing existing Illinois Youth Centers which are punitive, stark, and isolating and providing needed support to youth in their communities will improve lives and outcomes.  Putting youth in prisons does not teach a lesson or change behavior; quite the opposite, it entrenches the path into the adult prison system.