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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly passed Senate Bill  
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92 during the 94th General Assembly which created the 
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Department of Juvenile Justice to change the culture within 
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youth facilities from an adult correctional model to a 
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treatment model, along with creating a continuum of programs to 
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support reentry and step down from secure facilities to the 
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community; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Senate Bill 92 which created this new agency was 
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signed into law by Governor Rod Blagojevich on November 17, 
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2005 and became Public Act 94-696 with an effective date of 
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June 1, 2006; and

 
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    WHEREAS, It is the continued belief of this House that 
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juvenile facilities should be completely separated from adult 
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corrections, and should fulfill the mission "to provide 
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treatment and services through a comprehensive continuum of 
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individualized education, vocational, social, emotional, and 
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basic life skills to enable youth to avoid delinquent futures 
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and become productive, fulfilled citizens"; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Prior to the commencement of operation  of the 
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Department of Juvenile Justice, the Governor invited a 
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broad-based group of legislators, stakeholders, advocates, 
 


 






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union representatives, and experts to work on transition 
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planning; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The Department of Juvenile Justice Transition 
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Team met regularly for a 6-month period, completed a detailed 
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Transition Plan, and presented the plan to the Acting Director 
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prior to the commencement of operation of the Department of 
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Juvenile Justice on July 1, 2006; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Nearly one year  later, the Department of Juvenile 
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Justice was receiving criticism for failure to meet educational 
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and programming standards; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Members of the House responded by holding a 
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hearing of the House Juvenile Justice Reform Committee on June 
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20, 2007 which heard reports from the Acting Director Kurt 
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Friedenauer, from representatives from AFSCME who worked at St. 
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Charles and Joliet Youth facilities, from the Governor's Office 
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of Management and Budget, and from the John Howard Association; 
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therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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based on the concerns raised at the recent hearing we urge 
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that:
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        (1) the Governor's Office act appropriately and move 
 


 






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    swiftly to complete selection of and appointment of a 
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    permanent Director of Juvenile Justice;

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        (2) the Governor's Office act appropriately and move 
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    swiftly to appoint an Advisory Board, as required under the 
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    authorizing legislation;
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        (3) the Governor's Office act appropriately and move 
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    swiftly to approve new job classifications, hire staff 
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    provided for in appropriations, and fill education and 
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    teaching vacancies as quickly as possible;
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        (4) the Director of Juvenile Justice move forward in an 
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    effort to hire a Superintendent of Education for the 
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    Department;
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        (5) the Governor's Office, Department of Juvenile 
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    Justice, and the State Board of Education explore new 
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    approaches to recruiting and retaining educational 
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    personnel in the Department of Juvenile Justice to address 
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    the teaching shortages and educational needs of the youth;
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        (6) the Director of Juvenile Justice develop training 
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    programs for supervisory and line staff, emphasizing the 
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    impact of the new treatment philosophy on approaches to 
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    discipline; and
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        (7) the Director of Juvenile Justice continue tracking 
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    and requiring oversight of the use of the troubling 
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    disciplinary practice of solitary confinement, which is 
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    condemned by international children's rights agreements 
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    and prohibited in most industrialized nations;
 and be it 
 


 






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    further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the Governor of this great State of 
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Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, report back to the 95th General 
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Assembly no later than December 1, 2008 the named directors, 
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board members, and other referenced personnel that the 
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Executive branch is under a duty by law to appoint;
 and be it 
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further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to 
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the Governor, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and the State 
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Board of Education.