DeKalb County Illinois Swift, Certain, and Fair Probation

DeKalb County Court Services (DCCS) will continue its successful implementation of its swift, certain, and fair (SCF) probation program and will expand the program to address the specialized needs of emerging adults (ages 18–25) and persons with identified intellectual and developmental disabilities. Project officials will modify incentive and sanction matrixes to provide swift and certain responses to both positive and negative behaviors in ways that are meaningful as well as culturally and developmentally appropriate for the identified populations. Eligible participants must score as medium or high risk on the Adult Risk Assessment and must be at risk for a prison sentence. The goal of the program is to provide an intensive and safe community-based alternative that will keep clients out of prison through swift, certain, and fair incentives and sanctions and services, including random drug testing and treatment for mental health, substance use disorders, and domestic violence. Participants between the ages of 18 and 25 will receive specialized services, including expressive journaling, and other programming to increase their use of cognitive skills in a developmentally appropriate way. Participants screened and identified as having intellectual or developmental disabilities will receive Personalized Justice Plans (PJPs) that will include incentive and sanction matrixes specifically tailored as they work their way through their probation sentence.