Juvenile Justice reform activists Trick or Treat Cook County Commissioners at Juvenile Detention Center Review

Youth ask whether 2013 juvenile justice budget will mean more ankle bracelets or bright futures

 

CHICAGO, IL – Youth from the Audy Home Campaign, alongside parents, ministers and allied groups, will demand at Tuesday’s Cook County Review of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) that the County allocate funds away from the JTDC and toward high-quality community-based education and social services, including athletics and arts programs, as well as mental health care and safe shelter.

The Audy Home Campaign is a growing coalition of community organizations concerned about the direction of the juvenile justice system in Cook County which includes Blocks Together, BUILD Inc, Center of Change, Community Justice Institute for Youth, Fearless Leading by the Youth, Precious Blood Ministry of Peace and Reconciliation and the Institute on Public Safety and Social Justice at the Adler School of Psychology.

At the hearing, youth will wear Halloween costumes—suits and ties, on the one hand, and orange prison uniforms on the other—to highlight the choices the Cook County Commissioners are making about the future of Chicago youth in their budget decisions this week.

“The County is investing over 40 million a year to detain young people. That’s a bad investment and a bad budget decision,” said Darrius Lightfoot of the Audy Home Campaign and the Juvenile Advisory Council. “Instead, they should be spending taxpayer dollars to keep youth out of prison and engaged in their communities.”

In the past year, the County reduced the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center population by 50. In the coming year, President Toni Preckwinkle has said that the population will shrink even more. The Audy Home Campaign is demanding that the reduction of the population include reinvestment of funds into community-based alternatives.

“Youth need mentorship and job training, not to be locked up,” said Darrius Lightfoot. “Community alternatives to detention could be the key to reducing youth violence and youth crime–but it requires investing in our youth”

Youth “trick or treat” County Commissioners will demand reinvestment in alternatives to detention, followed by a Press conference at 8:45 a.m., at the Cook County Building, 118 N. Clark St., 5^th Floor.

Formerly detained youth, parents, ministers and allies from the Audy Home Campaign, a coalition of community organizations including: Blocks Together, BUILD Inc, Center of Change, Community Justice Institute for Youth, Fearless Leading by the Youth, Precious Blood Ministry of Peace and Reconciliation and the Institute on Public Safety and Social Justice at the Adler School of Psychology.

Youth were dressed in prison jumpsuits and suits and ties in a trick or treat before Cook County Commissioners at the County budget hearing.

For more information about the Audy Home Campaign, please contact Alex Goldenberg or visit www.facebook.com/audyhomecampaign.