Research suggests that child maltreatment predicts juvenile violence, but it is uncertain whether the effects of victimization persist into adulthood or differ across gender. Furthermore, we know little about the mechanisms underlying the victim-perpetrator cycle for males and females. Consequently, this study analyzed associations between child…

Research has found that foster youth who remain in care beyond age 18 are more likely to participate in services and tend to have better outcomes than those who do not. However, not all youth eligible to remain in care beyond age 18 do so. This study examines Illinois, one of the few states that extends care up to age 21, to identify the major…

Describes a study of the Juvenile Court of Cook County (Illinois), its courtroom practices, and activities outside the courtroom aimed at helping status offenders. Results and recommendations are included. Journal available from National Office for Social Responsibility, 208 North Washington, Alexandria, VA 22314. (CT)

A volunteer teacher working with juvenile delinquents in the Cook County (Illinois) Temporary Juvenile Detention Center's notorious Audy Home sees these kids as mirrors of his own teenage boys, deserving of compassionate assistance. Labeling other people's children as feral or superpredators is misguided. So are federal and state…

This study extends literature on recidivism after teen court to add system-level variables to demographic and sentence content as relevant covariates. Interviews with referral agents and survival analysis with proportional hazards regression supplement quantitative models that include demographic, sentencing, and case-processing variables in a…

According to the 2000 census, high school dropouts had a 52% employment rate, compared to 71% for high school graduates and 83% for college graduates. According to NCSE, the national dropout rate is 30% of which 80% had been chronically absent from school ("School attendance tracking: Challenges and effective practices"), which puts the…

Reports on several elementary and junior high schools which use mock trials; drama; a legal outreach program; and a teen court, in which teenagers assist in juvenile court cases, to help students learn about the legal system. Statistics show that this hands-on experience is more effective than classroom teaching alone. (SM)

This study set out to explore the mechanisms for educating court-involved youth in Chicago, learn about the available educational options, and the barriers, if any, these young people face when continuing in or returning to school. A key finding is that educational options in Chicago that are designed expressly for court-involved youth who are…

Relates how a local teen court was established in Knox County, Illinois. Discusses the teen court concept, the purpose of such courts, and their relationship to official courts. Describes the Knox County Teen Court's development of a Web site and the benefits that it has brought to the community. (DSK)

This study analyzed the short-term effects of the Youth Advocate Liaison (YAL) service upon selected behavioral measures from the school, police, and courts, using a sample of 147 former securely detained youth, aged 13 through 18, in Lake County, Illinois. Data sources were 14 school districts, 2 special education units, 321 police…

This handbook outlines essential information for foster parents under these basic headings: (1) legal rights and responsibilities of children, parents and foster parents; (2) recruitment, licensing, training, and evaluation of foster homes; (3) placement and removal of foster children; (4) payments and expenses; (5) medical care; (6)…

This collection of 12 educational bulletins provides background information on highly visible, "hot" issues receiving public attention. After four pages of information concerning the current state of children's services in Illinois, two-page discussions are provided of 11 general topics. Titles in the collection are (1) "Overview of…

Participants in the 1981 Illinois Conference on Children's Priorities for the '80s were provided with two main working documents: (1) "Summary--Recommendations of the 1980 Illinois White House Conference on Children," and (2) "Narrative Summary of State Agency Questionnaires on Selected Recommendations from the Report of the 1980…

Addressed to policymakers and to all the citizens of Illinois, this report of the Plan of Action for Children Task Force offers 81 recommendations for addressing the serious problems faced by children residing in the state. Taken together, the recommendations lead to six conclusions: (1) focus on prevention; (2) commit resources to strengthen…