The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) houses and provides services to youth committed to the Department's custody and assists them in transitioning back into the community. DJJ does not serve youth who are in temporary detention awaiting adjudication, as those are managed at the county level through Juvenile Temporary Detention Centers (JTDCs). Formerly part of the Illinois Department of Corrections (DOC), DJJ was created by statute in 2006 as an independent agency with the understanding that youth are physically, emotionally, and cognitively different from adults and should be treated in a developmentally appropriate manner. DJJ’s goal is to provide comprehensive rehabilitative services to youth who are committed to the custody of DJJ, and upon release in transitioning young people back into the community through Aftercare.
