The purpose of a juvenile justice council (council) is to provide a forum for the development of a community-based interagency assessment of the local juvenile justice system, to develop a county juvenile justice plan for the prevention of juvenile delinquency, and to make recommendations to the county board, or county boards, for more effectively utilizing existing community resources in dealing with juveniles who are found to be involved in crime, or who are truant or have been suspended or expelled from school.
The council's membership consists of the Sheriff, the State's Attorney, the Public Defender, Chief Probation Officer, and other county boards as well as the Springfield Police Department and community youth service providers, juvenile justice agencies, schools, businesses, and community organizations.
The council meets from time to time, but no less than quarterly, for the purpose of encouraging the initiation of, or supporting ongoing, interagency cooperation and programs to address juvenile delinquency and juvenile crime. Scheduled meetings can be found in our calendar here.
The council does not have a role in the charging or prosecution of juvenile offenders.