Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office Partners with Steans Family Foundation, Chapin Hall, Chicago Public Schools, Justice Advisory Council and Other Stakeholders to Launch Alternative to Detention Program for Juveniles

CHICAGO — The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) has started referring eligible youth to an unprecedented pilot program that ensures juveniles charged with serious offenses remain engaged in school, receive cognitive behavioral therapy and other supports from community-based organizations, and are appropriately supervised while their criminal cases are pending. The program is available to boys eligible to attend high school who are from the North Lawndale and Little Village neighborhoods. Youth charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, sex crimes and individuals currently on electronic monitoring are ineligible for the pilot. 

CCSAO designed the Juvenile Pre-trial Detention Alternative Pilot Program (JDAPP), in collaboration with justice system stakeholders, to provide a different pathway for youth who would otherwise likely be detained following their first court appearance. JDAPP is grounded in research showing the value of community based supportive services in reducing recidivism. In lieu of detention and contingent upon judicial approval, JDAPP offers intervention early, at the pretrial detention hearing stage, to stop the cycle of criminal behavior and keep youth engaged in their communities and in productive activity to support accountability and change. 

As part of the program, participants receive up to 20 hours of after-school wraparound services from two deeply rooted community-based nonprofits: New Life Centers for youth in Little Village and The Firehouse Community Arts Center for those in Lawndale. The organizations will report progress about the participating youth to Juvenile Probation Pretrial Services and Judge Beatriz Frausto-Sandoval, who is overseeing the program in her courtroom. 

“This program will help young people get back on the right path while making our communities safer,” said Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke. “By emphasizing accountability and addressing the root causes of risky behavior, JDAPP has the power to change lives. I am so proud of the collaboration driving this program forward and the partnerships we’ve built to strengthen public safety across Cook County.” 

JDAPP is funded by a grant of up to $1 million from the Cook County Justice Advisory Council. Additional private support comes from the Steans Family Foundation, which is committed to investing in initiatives that assist the North Lawndale community. 

“We're proud to support this innovative pilot in partnership with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and community organizations across Chicago’s west side. Our work is deeply rooted in the North Lawndale community, where we know that young people thrive when they are supported with stability, opportunity, and care,” said Patricia Ford, Executive Director of the Steans Family Foundation. “This pilot is an important step toward building safer, healthier communities by investing directly in the young people who call them home.” 

"Meeting the needs of vulnerable young people and investing in their future success is a representation of our values, but it also helps build the safe and thriving communities we all want to see," said Avik Das, Executive Director of the JAC. “The JDAPP pilot program is an example of what is possible when government and community stakeholders work together to promote positive outcomes for justice involved youth and their communities. We look forward to learning from this pilot and continuing to explore innovative programming that helps break cycles of incarceration and keep communities safe." 

All cases in the program will be overseen by Cook County Judge Beatriz Frausto-Sandoval. She can order participation in the program, set release conditions, and conducts regular status hearings to manage program compliance and participant progress.  

“Our court-involved youth often come to us with gaps, deficits or basic needs unmet, especially those from areas like North Lawndale and Little Village. This pilot program can give these young men a path for self-improvement and development that is often not accessible in neighborhoods of historic disinvestment and high crime,” said Judge Frausto-Sandoval. “My hope is that the intensive programming and wrap-around services planned will keep our communities safer, not by putting them behind locked doors, but by giving these kids more open doors that could benefit them for the rest of their lives.” 

“I welcome this innovative program, which aims to support young people at their first interaction with the justice system and connect them with tools for a better future,” said Chief Judge Charles S. Beach II. “Efforts like this can strengthen young people, support families and make communities safer.” 

Outcomes for youth enrolled in JDAPP will be evaluated by Chapin Hall, an independent policy research center deeply rooted in Chicago. Chapin Hall will assess the effectiveness of the interventions, reviewing program utilization and participation, school attendance, compliance with court orders, and recidivism, among other variables. The partnership with Chapin Hall builds on a previous collaboration that evaluated the success of deferred prosecution programs for juveniles. 

“Chapin Hall is recognized for its rigorous evaluations, and our researchers and policy teams have brought their expertise to shape the effectiveness of numerous projects within the Cook County juvenile justice system,” said Chapin Hall Executive Director Bryan Samuels. “This work is a reflection of our mission to build evidence that advances equitable solutions that improve the lives of children and families.” 

A key feature of JDAPP is the requirement that youth reengage in school and remain enrolled throughout the duration of their case. Empirical evidence indicates that approximately 90% of school-age youth who sustained gunshot injuries in Chicago were not engaged in school at the time, which limits their access to much needed social services and community-based supports.  

Chicago Public Schools will ensure timely enrollment or placement of youth referred to the program and monitor daily attendance.  

“The JDAPP framework is based on the understanding that the physical and emotional safety of our students is deeply interconnected,” said Dr. Macquline King, Interim CEO/Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools. “It involves ensuring the emotional well-being of our students and fostering trust in relationships with caring adults. That connection allows our students to enter school each day knowing they have supportive adults dedicated to maintaining a learning environment that is both physically and emotionally safe.” 

Program compliance and participation will be considered for youth when the juvenile case is adjudicated. Status hearings for each participant will be held approximately every 30 days where a progress report will be provided to the court.  

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