Youth Justice Archives

Add Your Voice for a Better Illinois

Youth Justice | 05/12/2023

Aimee Galvin Government Affairs Director

Together, we are making progress in our work toward economic justice for all Illinois families through the elimination of juvenile court fees and fines.

Now that bill to eliminate juvenile court fees and fines is up for final approval on the House floor. We must take a stand and urge our representatives to support this bill. We can fix this problem and move our state closer to economic justice.

TELL SPRINGFIELD: ELIMINATE FEES & FINES

We know that these fees and fines are not an effective accountability tool and can actually increase recidivism. They punish families living in poverty and deepen the economic injustice they already face.

Removing fees and fines does not impact a judge’s ability to order victim’s restitution, community service, or other appropriate non-monetary conditions that provide better opportunities for young people to take accountability for their actions.

We can hold young people accountable without pushing them into a deep financial hole. With your help, we can fix this problem! It’s on us to stand up and do what’s right. Tell Springfield to eliminate juvenile court fees and fines.

Let’s get this done – for Illinois youth, families, and communities.

We’re Halfway There

Legislation | 03/29/2023

Jessica Handy Interim Executive Director

Last week was a whirlwind at the Capitol and we’ve got progress to show for it! The pace was fast and furious all week, with a Friday deadline spurring legislators to debate bills well into the night.

The good news? Three bills in the ‘Literacy and Justice for All’ bill package passed the House or the Senate on Friday!

We couldn’t have done this without you! Advocates continue to send a strong signal to Springfield that these initiatives have deep support across the state. This month, we’ve sent over 1,500 emails to legislators in support of literacy and youth justice. (Did you send yours yet? Click these links and check it off your to-do list!)

A quick update on where things stand with these (and a few other momentous bills we’re supporting!):

Early Literacy: HB2872 and SB2243, bills instructing the State Board of Education to create a statewide literacy plan, and HB3147, the comprehensive Literacy and Justice for All bill to help fix the literacy crisis, passed their first major hurdle! (That is, the House bills passed the House and the Senate bill passed the Senate. Now they will switch places and work their way through the other chamber.)
Youth Justice: SB1463 and HB3120 passed committee and we anticipate a floor vote in the Senate this week. The bills would eliminate juvenile court fees and fines, a step toward economic justice for our state.
Full-Day Kindergarten: HB 2396 requires school districts to offer full-day kindergarten by 2027. It passed the House and moves to the Senate.
Trauma-Responsive Schools: HB 342 responds to the Whole Child Task Force, created by the Legislative Black Caucus’s historic “education pillar” two years ago. Under the bill, which passed the House, the state would develop a Children’s Adversity Index, make licensure recommendations to ensure teachers are prepared to support children with trauma, and add ratios of social workers to the school report card.
Dual-Credit Teacher Shortage: HB 1213 passed the House, creating a scholarship program for teachers to pursue the coursework needed to teach Dual Credit.

We will keep you posted as things continue to move in Springfield. Get ready for more advocacy opportunities to keep up the growing momentum on our legislative priorities!

Thank you for your partnership and support.

This Kind of Discipline is Wrong. Let’s End It.

Youth Justice | 03/15/2023

Aimee Galvin Government Affairs Director

Last summer, ProPublica and the Chicago Tribune analyzed data that found nearly 12,000 tickets were issued to students from August 2018 through June 2021. Despite recent laws designed to prohibit schools from issuing fines and fees as discipline and referring truant students to police, school personnel referred thousands of students to local municipalities for the purpose of issuing fines and fees as a disciplinary consequence for school-based behaviors.

This is flat out wrong. Students should NOT be punished this way. Fines and fees can also vary widely across municipalities. The system is unfair to students, who must miss school to attend a municipal hearing that does not guarantee right to due process, like access to legal counsel.

Illinois is so much better than this. I hope you’ll join me and reach out to your state representative and urge them to support a bill in Springfield designed to end this unjust practice.

end school-based ticketing

Consequences for most student misbehavior can and should be handled through a district’s discipline policy.

Contact your representative with just a few clicks to urge their support. Then, I hope you’ll share this link with your friends and family, too.

Progress Toward Our Goals

Legislation | 03/14/2023

Jessica Handy Interim Executive Director

We saw some strong progress on Stand priorities at the Capitol last week, friends.

The pace was fast and furious all week, with a deadline spurring legislators to act at the committee level.

The good news? Bills to help fix our state’s literacy crisis and eliminate juvenile court fees and fines progressed out of committee and moved one step closer to passage.

We couldn’t have done this without you! Last week, advocates submitted nearly 800 witness slips in support of these bills, a strong signal to Springfield that these are priorities with deep support across the state. Around 1,000 emails went to legislators in support of our priority issues, another sign of the support from advocates standing up for children and families.

A quick update on where things stand:

Early Literacy: HB2872, a bill instructing the State Board of Education to create a statewide literacy plan, and HB3147, the comprehensive Literacy and Justice for All bill to help fix the literacy crisis, passed the House Elementary & Secondary Education: School Curriculum & Policies Committee on Wednesday, March 8, with more stakeholder engagement work yet to come before a final vote in the House.
Youth Justice: SB1463 and HB3120 passed favorably out of the Senate Judiciary and House Restorative Justice committees, respectively. The bills would eliminate juvenile court fees and fines, a step toward economic justice for our state.

We will keep you posted as things continue to move in Springfield. Get ready for more advocacy opportunities to keep up the growing momentum on our legislative priorities!

Thank you for your partnership and support.

Let’s Move Toward Economic Justice

Youth Justice | 03/3/2023

Aimee Galvin Government Affairs Director

Over the last year or so we’ve updated you on a new issue for the Stand community: the elimination of juvenile court fines and fees.

Our research and advocacy has shown that these fees and fines are not an effective accountability tool and can actually increase recidivism. They punish families living in poverty and deepen the economic injustice they already face in our most vulnerable communities.

Removing fees and fines does not impact a judge’s ability to order victim’s restitution, community service, or other appropriate non-monetary conditions that provide solid opportunities for young people to take accountability for their actions. We can hold young people accountable without pushing them into a deep financial hole. And now we have a chance to fix this problem! A bill up for hearing next week in the Senate Judiciary Committee would repeal these juvenile court fees and fines. It’s on us to stand up and do what’s right. Submit a witness slip today!

Submitting a witness slip in support of this legislation is easy! Follow these simple steps to make an impact:

Click this link.
Fill in your information.
- For “Representation,” you can enter Debt Free Justice Illinois, or something like “parent” or “self”
- For “Position,” check “Proponent”
- For “Testimony,” check “Record of Appearance Only”
Agree to the “Terms of Service.”

You’re done and you just made a difference!

We’re working with a statewide coalition called Debt Free Justice Illinois. This group of advocates are dedicated to moving us toward economic justice and away from the financial burden of these fees and fines. By passing this bill, Illinois will join a bipartisan group of 20 states that have already eliminated juvenile court fees and fines.

Let’s get it done – for Illinois youth, families, and communities.

Priority Issues for Springfield

Civic Action | 01/11/2023

Aimee Galvin Government Affairs Director

Earlier today, members of the Illinois legislature took the oath of office for a new term as members of the General Assembly. On Monday, Governor JB Pritzker was sworn in for his second term as governor. I was there on Monday, along with my colleague Jessica, for the ceremony and the pomp and circumstance.

As our elected officials set their agenda and plan their ’23 goals, now is a great time for us to congratulate them and urge their support for our shared priorities.

I’m talking about common sense priorities like ensuring Illinois schools have the funding they need to give kids the education they deserve; providing evidence-based literacy instruction to boost our state’s sagging reading scores; working to ensure racial justice in the youth court system; and, working together to offer students expanded opportunities for advanced coursework.

Let’s congratulate our elected leaders on their inauguration and urge them to focus on issues that will make a positive difference for Illinois children and their families!

CONTACT SPRINGFIELD NOW

Thank you for standing with us as we start the new year. I look forward to everything we accomplish together this year.

We Need to Abolish This

Youth Justice | 08/25/2022

Aimee Galvin Government Affairs Director

The Stand team is spending the last few days of summer preparing for an upcoming hearing of the Illinois Supreme Court’s Statutory Court Fee Task Force. We plan to comment on their latest work, and I hope you’ll join us by lending your voice to this cause.

We told you earlier this year about the problem with juvenile court fees and fines, a deep economic injustice. These fees and fines vary across Illinois counties, creating a patchwork of injustice that falls especially hard on low-income youth and families. Fees can range from DNA identification ($250 per test), probation supervision (usually $50 per month), and room and board while a child is held in detention ($10 per day). They can add up in a hurry and saddle children and their families with debt, further delaying plans like college and career.

The good news is that the Supreme Court Task Force sees the injustice of these fees and fines and recommends that “legislation be enacted abolishing assessments and fines in juvenile delinquency cases.”

We wholeheartedly agree and will provide testimony in support of eliminating juvenile court fees and fines. Stand with us and voice your support for the abolition of these fees and fines!

ADD YOUR NAME

Ultimately, juvenile fees and fines undermine community health, economic stability, and trust in our courts. That’s why numerous states and local jurisdictions – both majority Democratic and Republican – have reduced or eliminated juvenile fees and fines in recent years. We must do better for Illinois youth and their families.

Thank you for standing with Illinois children and their families against this economic injustice. We’ll be in touch again before the hearing and follow-up with additional ways to engage on this issue.

That’s a Wrap

Legislation | 04/21/2022

Jessica Handy Policy Director

Governor Pritzker signed the budget this week, securing another $350 million for Evidence-Based Funding! Legislators adjourned early in the morning just under two weeks ago, bringing the spring 2022 legislative session to a close. Here’s a quick wrap-up on our priority issues and some next steps.

Expanding Access to Dual Credit: Both the Illinois House and Senate unanimously passed a bill to boost access to Dual Credit courses and give districts flexibility to launch and grow their own Dual Credit programs. If you haven’t already, take a moment to thank the legislators who led the way in the General Assembly.

Improving Literacy Outcomes: We’re collaborating with education advocates and our fellow members of the Illinois Early Literacy Coalition to improve the Right to Read Act so that it works for all students. We’ll be convening this summer with experts and leaders in the literacy field to ensure the bill is as strong as possible, with the goal of passing it later this year or next spring.

Growing CTE Collaboration and Access: House lawmakers approved a Resolution make access more equitable to Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses and to facilitate the partnerships needed for successful CTE programs to flourish. Join me and thank the lawmakers who made this House Resolution a priority.

Enacting Economic Security: In the fight for racial justice, Stand joined the Coalition to Make EIC Work, a group of dedicated organizations and advocates that fought to expand the Earned Income Credit. Lawmakers enacted a budget including a permanent expansion of the EIC, providing direct tax relief to more than 4.5 million working Illinois families. The Coalition will continue fighting to create a permanent Child Tax Credit.

Fighting for Youth Justice: The work with our partners in the Debt Free Justice Campaign continues as we grow our coalition and refine the bill to help make the most impact for Illinois youth and their families by eliminating juvenile court fees and fines. We know that creating a brighter future for us all includes ensuring our juvenile court system is just and fair for everyone, and aimed towards healing, youth development, and reducing recidivism.

Thank you for everything you did this spring to help ensure positive results for Illinois children and families. The work continues, and I know you’ll be there as we take those next steps soon.

Do You Know About This?

Youth Justice | 02/17/2022

Aimee Galvin Government Affairs Director

Creating a brighter future for us all includes ensuring our youth court system is just and fair to everyone involved. And ensuring that it’s aimed toward healing, youth development, and reducing recidivism.

But did you know that when juveniles enter Illinois’ youth justice system, they can be charged for things like legal representation, room and board, or even their own probation supervision? These fees and fines range from $25 to over $800 and can quickly add up to thousands of dollars for a single family.

Enforcement of these fines and fees varies across Illinois counties, creating a patchwork of injustice that falls particularly hard on low-income youth and families. And because of targeted policing and over-surveillance of communities of color, these fees and fines disproportionately hurt youth of color and their families in these areas.

The injustice is compounded because the costs of collecting fees and fines often outweighs the revenue they generate. For example, jurisdictions in Louisiana were spending up to $1.15 for each dollar they collected, while Oregon spent $866,000 to collect $864,000 in support fees for youth in custody in 2019. This bloated practice likely holds true here in Illinois.

We can and must do better for Illinois youth and their families. We should join the movement of states across the country – both majority Democratic and Republican – that have begun to reduce or abolish juvenile court fees and fines.

You can show your support for this movement – today – by signing the petition to put an end to juvenile court fees and fines here in Illinois.

ADD YOUR NAME

We’ll be in touch with more ways to stay active on this issue soon. Thanks for your engagement and commitment to a brighter future for us all.

P.S.: Did a juvenile court order you to pay fees or fines (regardless of whether you were convicted) when it was processing your case? Did this happen to your friend or family member? Victims absolutely should receive restitution, but our taxpayer-funded court system should not make youth pay for their public defenders or court processing fees. Contact us to share your story. Your voice could help fix this unjust practice.