Want to know how many youth were arrested in Chicago in 2009?

Interested in learning about the racial breakdown of youth detained at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in 2009?

How many cases were diverted from juvenile court in 2008?

After over a year of struggle, I am pleased to introduce the Chicago Youth Justice Data Project. In our current economic, political and social climate, the adage “information is power” is even more true.

Our communities are disempowered when we are kept in the dark about how the state is intervening in our lives.  The Chicago Youth Justice Data Project brings the most timely & relevant information about juvenile justice & youth criminalization to community members.  It is critical that citizens be equipped with data in order to effectively advocate for reforms.  Relevant data increases our credibility and authority.  Yet it is difficult to access and especially in one place. I hope that the Chicago Youth Justice Data Project contributes to remedying this issue.

I am a long-time organizer and I approach research from this prism.  I care about data because I know that when properly deployed it can help to transform the systematic ways in which marginalized communities are kept out of the policy-making and decision-making processes.

Special thanks to designer and illustrator Lester Rojas for collaborating with me to bring my vision to fruition.  Lester put in countless hours of his time to complete this project.  It was a labor of love because Lord knows that we could not afford to pay him what he is worth.  Thank you Lester!

Thanks also to the Steans Family Foundation for their generous support.   Without it, this project would not have been possible.

This webzine is dedicated to the memory of the committed organizer and musician, Damian Turner who was taken from all of us way too soon.

I am very interested in keeping this site up to date so please send along any new data that you come across related to juvenile justice in Chicago and Illinois.  If you would like to provide any feedback on the site, please contact me at [email protected].

If you have a minute and the interest, please visit the Chicago Youth Justice Data Project.