Research suggests that non-violent youth offenders are less likely to be involved in subsequent delinquent behavior if they remain in their home communities and receive appropriate services that address their underlying needs. Community-based services for juvenile offenders are generally less costly and more effective than institutional care in correctional facilities.
In 2005, Redeploy Illinois began four pilot programs. These sites were provided with financial support to deliver comprehensive services in their home communities to youth who might otherwise have been sent to the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) with a goal of reducing juvenile commitments by 25%.
In the first two years of implementation, the Redeploy Illinois pilot sites, on average, reduced commitments to IDJJ by 44%, or 226 fewer youth, thereby saving the State of Illinois millions of dollars.