Saving young offenders is project’s goal

The criminal justice system in Ogle County is trying a new cooperative approach to discourage juvenile offenders from committing more crimes.

The initiative is an effort by the Ogle County Juvenile Justice Council, which consists of representatives of law enforcement, the courts, probation department, schools, and agencies that deal with juvenile delinquency.

When teens or pre-teens break the law in Ogle County, they now will undergo a professional assessment much earlier in the process.

The idea is to make therapy, counseling, addiction treatment, and mental health screenings and services available quickly to first-time offenders, and not wait until the boys and girls have committed a series of crimes and are adjudicated delinquents before trying to help them.

Ogle County State’s Attorney Ben Roe points out that if the reasons for juvenile crime can be determined and treated early, youthful offenders may be prevented from getting into further trouble.

“By identifying issues that contribute to delinquent acts and intervening early, we have a better chance of changing young lives for the better, and at far less cost than if the behaviors don’t change, more crimes are committed, and the young people are sent away to expensive prisons. It saves young lives and enhances safety.”

Young offenders should not expect to get off the hook for their crimes. They will still have to take responsibility for them and make restitution where warranted. But public defenders and probation officials will be working harder to find out why the young person broke the law in the first place. For some, such behavior is a cry for help because of drug and alcohol abuse, mental health issues, or violence in the home.

Address those problems in a young offender’s life, and you might just nip that young person’s criminal behavior in the bud.

Associate Judge Kathleen Kauffmann sees it that way.

“While more serious juvenile crime may not lend itself to this model, the majority of juvenile offenders should be able to benefit from this approach,” she said.

As one of five Models for Change demonstration sites in Illinois, the county is receiving grant funding and technical assistance from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, whose goal is to accelerate juvenile justice reform.