Juvenile Justice Collaborative
SCY convenes youth service providers and government partners in Cook County and oversees the implementation of a care coordination model for justice-involved youth, the Juvenile Justice Collaborative (JJC). The JJC model is built on an extensive body of research regarding the most promising strategies to interrupt the trajectory of youth violence.
The mission of the Juvenile Justice Collaborative (JJC) is to minimize further involvement of arrested youth in the justice system and reduce racial disparities by facilitating and coordinating access to comprehensive support services that meet adolescents’ developmental needs. We are committed to youth and their families because youth are our community’s most valuable resource.
Chapin Hall released an evaluation brief sharing their findings that the Juvenile Justice Collaborative’s Care Coordination Program for Deferred Prosecution is an effective alternative to traditional juvenile court proceedings, helping youth who are first-time offenders charged with non-violent felonies and serious misdemeanors avoid prosecution, spend less time in court, and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.
Key Findings
- High Engagement and Connection to Services: Of the 144 youth referred in the first year, 97% completed intake and 99% were successfully connected to community-based services such as outpatient mental health, mentoring, and employment support.
- Successful Program Completion: Over 85% of participants graduated from the program, and 89% had their charges dropped—avoiding 125 prosecutions.
- Lower Recidivism: Only 18% of program youth picked up a new charge within 12 months, compared to 28% in a matched comparison group, representing a 44% lower odds of reoffending.
- Positive Youth Experience: Youth interviewed expressed the importance of encouragement and positive reinforcement experienced in the program in helping them view themselves as “a person and not a criminal” and moving past their mistakes toward a brighter future.
- Read the evaluation summary.
View JJC's January 2017- December 2024 Data Brief
JJC Partners
In partnership with Cook County system partners, including the Office of the Chief Judge, the State’s Attorney’s Office, Juvenile Probation and the Public Defender’s Office, the JJC engages community-based provider partners in decision making and delivering coordinated services for justice-involved youth.
The JJC partners currently include a centralized intake and referral home at Treatment Alternatives for Safer Communities (TASC), the Illinois Collaboration on Youth (ICOY) and 13 community-based youth service providers.
In addition to Partner Providers, the JJC continues to welcome new community-based providers to support our youth. Our newest providers include:
- Breakthrough Urban Ministries
- Bright Star Community Outreach
- Catch the World
- ConTextos
- Family Solutions
- Kids Above All
- Rincon Family Services
Services
Youth and families in the JJC may be connected to one or more of the following services:
- Mentoring
- Substance abuse
- Academic/education support
- Victim/trauma services
- Counseling
- Financial literacy
- Family support services
- Employment/workforce/vocational services
- Behavioral health
- Life skills
- Recreational activities
- Hardship support (utilities, shelter/housing, food)
In May 2024 through April 2025, the JJC administered 9 family support grants to providers. The goal of the project is to identify and promote innovative strategies to support the families of justice-involved youth and families. Of the participating providers, six organizations enhanced parents' and guardians' engagement with their child's court process, eight organizations increased parents' and guardians' knowledge of how to support their child, and eight organizations helped to meet parents' and guardians' basic needs. Over 350 parents, caregivers and families were served through the grant funding!
When asked about the impact of the program, one caregiver expressed that, “I found the confidence to be able to fight for my child's needs. It was such an inspiration.”
View JJC's Family Support Project 2024-2025 Impact Report
Eligibility
The JJC primarily serves youth ages 12-18. Cook County Probation and the State’s Attorney’s office refer the youth to TASC, which assesses the youth’s needs and risk level, placing the young person with the appropriate community-based provider for care coordination and other services.
Communities We Serve
The JJC serves Cook County, with a concentration on the City of Chicago. A majority of youth referred to the program reside in South Side and West Side neighborhoods.
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