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Aug. 2024-Gov. Pritzker Signs Legislation Increasing Opportunity for Juveniles Seeking Expungement- SB3463 removes barriers to expungement through creation of an automatic process. READ MORE 

Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice

County juvenile detention centers do NOT fall under the jurisdiction of the State of Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. LEARN MORE

Summit of Hope-Thursday, July 10, 2025, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Malcolm X College (1900 W. Van Buren St., Chicago, IL)

Email stephen.klokkenga@illinois.gov with questions or call 217-557-4016.

The mission of the Summit of Hope is to guide and assist justice-involved youth with available services to better ensure reintegration into the community and thus reduce recidivism.

Mission

The mission of the Illinois Dept. of Juvenile Justice is to build youth skills and strengthen families to promote community safety and positive youth outcomes. 

Transformation

The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice is transitioning to a new, evidence-based model designed to reduce the harm of incarceration. To learn more about the changes coming to IDJJ, visit our Transformation page.

IDJJ Director Mueller and her team presented an update on the Transformation on Nov. 1, 2023. 

Barbara Allen-Hagen 2023 Award Recipient 

The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) announced August 21st that the Illinois Youth Center (IYC) Pere Marquette in Grafton was awarded the 2023 PbS Barbara Allen-Hagen (BAH) Award. The BAH award is a national award presented annually to one juvenile corrections facility and one juvenile detention facility. BAH recipients must show exceptional progress in their achievement of a self-identified area of growth.

This year’s BAH Award for a corrections facility was presented to IYC Pere Marquette for their exemplary work in connecting families with their youth who are currently under the care of IDJJ. Officials from IDJJ accepted the award at the Performance based Standards (PbS) awards gala held in Philadelphia on August 11, 2023. READ MORE

DJJ School District #428 Educator Receives Award of Meritorious Service from the Illinois State Board of Education

IDJJ School District #428 teacher Beverly Singleton was honored with a 2024 Award of Meritorious Service at the Illinois State Board of Education's  annual Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year Banquet . She is pictured with Dr. Tony Sanders, State Superintendent of Education. The awards banquet celebrates the exemplary Illinois educators who go above and beyond to make positive impacts in their school communities.

Ms. Singleton teaches Career & Technical Education at IDJJ's Phoenix Emerging Adult Career & Education (PEACE) Center at St. Charles. She first came to IDJJ in 2018 to help youth work toward earning their GED. Her background in banking and commercial lending, however, has given her a passion for teaching youth about finances and fiscal responsibility, which is a big part of her work with the youth today. She also teaches career exploration courses, helping youth begin to plan career paths that will contribute to a more successful future.

Congratulations, Ms. Singleton! Thanks for all you do for our youth!

Community Partners

The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice is grateful to the many wonderful community partner organizations and individuals that provide educational, recreational and therapeutic services and opportunities to our youth. The below organizations provide services such as art therapy, restorative justice programs, literacy training, mentoring, tutoring, animal therapy, violence prevention, vocational training, musical theater, peer mentoring, substance abuse prevention, oral communication skills, recreational and athletic activities, higher education opportunities, and more. Click on the logos to learn more about our community partners.

*Partner organizations are still being updated. Email dominique.newman@illinois.gov if your organization is missing from this list.