This brochure describes the history of the Illinois Juvenile Court Act and explains each of the act's provisions.
The brochure was produced by the Illinois Juvenile Court Watching Project under a grant to the League of Women Voters of Illinois from the Illinois Law Enforcement Commission. Illinois' current Juvenile Court Act went into effect in 1966. Many of the amendments to the act since 1966 have reflected concern for children's rights to the protection, care, and guidance specified in the law's preamble. Although the juvenile court's original goal was to have judges act in the place of a parent, it became evident that in some cases the court's decisions infringed on children's basic rights. In response to this problem, a series of court and legislative actions assuring certain rights to children and their families has developed. Three landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions have also affected these developments. The Illinois Juvenile Court Act's first article clarifies the guardianship, legal custody, and residual rights of parents. It defines who has authority to make decisions regarding a child's welfare in such matters as the right to consent to marriage, to enlistment, or to surgical treatment. The second article recognizes four jurisdictional categories: delinquent minors, minors otherwise in need of supervision, neglected minors, and dependent minors. It also covers venue, relationship to criminal proceedings, confinement with adult prisoners, fingerprints and photographs, and confidentiality of records. The other six articles cover temporary custody, detention and shelter care, steps in the juvenile justice process, dispositions, and court services and personnel. A suggested reading list is provided.