Juvenile Justice System and Risk Factor Data - Illinois Criminal ...

Offenses against a person accounted for the highest proportion of female commitments, 52
percent compared to only 39 percent for males. Property crimes were the second most common
offense for which females were committed in FY07 at 35 percent of their commitments
compared to 43 percent for males. Females were less likely to be committed for drug, sex, or
other offenses than males. Table 20 depicts the percentage of male and female commitments by
type of offense in FY07.
Table 20
Number of youth commitments to IDJJ by gender, FY07*
Type of offense Male Female Total
Number Percent of gender Number Percent of gender
Person 476 39.1% 76 52.4% 552
Property 523 43.0% 51 35.2% 574
Drug 138 11.3% 3 2.1% 141
Sex 58 4.8% 1 0.7% 59
Other 22 1.8% 14 9.7% 36
Total 1,217 100% 145 100% 1,362
Source: Illinois Department of Corrections
* Only includes youth ages 13 to 16
A more in-depth examination of female delinquency in Illinois was completed for the Illinois
Juvenile Justice Commission in April 2009 and is availa
ble on the Aut hority’s website at
www.icjia.state.il.us. 34
Menta l health issues
Studies conducted in the 1990s documented a clear and increasing reliance on the adult justice
system to care for the mentally ill, a trend that als o occurs in the juvenile justice system.
According to OJJDP, research has shown that youth involved in the juvenile justice system have
higher rates of mental illness than youth in the general population. At least 20 percent of youth in
the juvenile justice system have a serious mental health problem. 35 Most of these disorders are
diagnosable but tend to remain untreated or mistreated. Strategies promoted by OJJDP to address
the issue include community-based alternatives to detention and developing mental health
treatment plans and services in correctional facilities.
In January 2000, the Illinois Department of Human Services began the Mental Health and
Juvenile Justice Initiative (MHJJI) which allows counties to refer mentally ill youth in detention
to community-based mental health services. IDHS awards contracts to providers for case
monitoring of youth in detention identified as having a mental illness. The program operates in
all counties in Illinois that house youth detention centers.
Eligibility is based on the presence of a psychotic or affective disorder. Youth with behavioral
disorders are excluded from the program unless they occur with a psychotic or affective disorder.
Wards of Illinois Department of Children and Family Services are not eligible. Court staff may
refer youth to MHJJI, but the screening tool, Childhood Severity of Psychiatric Illness (CSPI),
determines who receives services. A MHJJI program liaison conducts the initial eligibility
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