HB2567, HCA#1 requires that prior to admitting a child ages 10-12 to a county juvenile temporary detention center, a determination be made that a local youth service provider is not able to accept the child. Illinois allows children as young as 10 to be confined before trial in county juvenile detention centers. Detained children are isolated from their families, their schools and their communities, and studies reveal significant harm to children from even a short period of detention. This bill requires that for 10-12 year olds an effort is made for an alternate placement such as with a provider in the Comprehensive Community Based Youth Services (CCBYS) network.
This bill passed out of the House with bi-partisan support on April 15, 2015. Sen. Heather Steans is the senate sponsor of the bill. Text of the bill is available here. Here is a FACT SHEET.
This bill is now up in the Senate Criminal Law committee, Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. Please file a witness slip in favor of this bill. You can do so here.
How to File A Witness Slip:
1. Click HERE (after reading the steps below)
2. Under Section I, fill in your identification information
3. Under Section II, fill out your organization if you are representing one or write “self” if you are representing yourself. You can also fill in N/A.
4. In Section III, select “Proponent”
5. In Section IV, select “Record of Appearance Only,” unless you are submitting other forms of testimony, in which case select those as well.
6. Agree to the ILGA Terms of Agreement
7. Select the “Create Slip button
NIA DISPATCHES 