High Risk Youth Offender Reentry Initiative

This reentry program, called I Can Change Now (ICAN) will target male youth, ages 17 ' 19 year of age, who are eligible for parole from the Illinois Department of Corrections and who have the highest risk of becoming repeated offenders in the community. These juvenile must be from the Metropolitan Chicago Service area (Cook, Kankakee, Will, Iroquane, Kendall, and Grundy counties) and are currently being housed in either Illinois Youth Center (IYC)- Joliet (maximum security) or IYC - St. Charles (high-medium security). Juvenile sexual offenders are excluded because Aunt Martha's group homes are located near schools and day cares and Illinois law prohibits placement of sex offenders in their proximity. Reentry services between Phase I ' Phase III will be provided for each high-risk juvenile offender over an 18- month period, with juveniles being able to move between phases at a pace that supports their success, in a time frame that meets their needs. Each phase includes prioritized, individualized services beneficial to the juvenile at that stage in the program. ICAN will utilize a validated risk-assessment instrument in helping to determine different levels of risk of becoming repeat offenders that includes both need related predictors and offense-related predictors. Services include: housing, supervision, and monitoring; case management services; individual and group counseling; interpersonal skills; education and employment needs; transportation; health services; psychiatric services; specialized services; spiritual/religious needs; and family contact. CA/NCF