PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Restorative Justice Community Courts in Avondale, North Lawndale to graduate 64 participants in November

Released On 10/31/2023

The Avondale and North Lawndale Restorative Justice Community Courts will graduate 64 participants this month, according to Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans. 

The Avondale and North Lawndale courts will graduate 16 and 48 participants, respectively. The Avondale ceremony will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 3, at Resurrection Hall of St. Hyacinth Basilica, 3636 West Wolfram St. in Chicago. The North Lawndale ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9, at UCAN, 3605 W. Fillmore St. The public is welcome to attend. 

Restorative Justice Community Courts are aimed at young adults, aged 18-26, charged with non-violent felony or misdemeanor crimes. Started in Cook County in 2017, Restorative Justice Community Courts give young adults a chance to keep their records clean and get their lives back on track. Those who successfully participate in the program have the opportunity to have their charges dismissed and arrest and court records expunged. 

There is also a Restorative Justice Community Court (RJCC) in Englewood. A fourth countywide restorative justice court is located in the Leighton Criminal Courthouse. 

Participants graduate from the RJCC from about six months to a year after starting the program. To graduate, they must complete the requirements of an individualized “Repair of Harm Agreement.” This may mean getting a high school diploma, getting job training and employment, and making amends to anyone they have wronged through their actions. 

RJCC judges meet regularly with participants, and work with social service agencies to provide the resources to help these young people become successful in life and stay away from future involvement in criminal activity. 

 “We are very proud of all of our graduates, who have taken full advantage of the chance they’ve been given to remake their lives,” Chief Judge Evans said. “We wish them luck in their future endeavors.” 

One of the North Lawndale future graduates, Kevyn Thompson, was pulled over and arrested for having a gun in his car – he had a Firearm Owners Identification card (FOID), but lacked a concealed-carry license. He was charged with unlawful use of a weapon and wanted to clear his record. 

Thompson said he had to make goals for himself to complete the program – one was to earn a promotion at his job. He did – and is now a general manager at Panera Bread. “It helps because it gives you a second chance,” said Thompson, who recommends the program to those who qualify. 

The RJCCs have helped hundreds of participants reform their lives and avoid further contact with the criminal justice system. An internal study by the Office of the Chief Judge has found that, among individuals who have been graduated from Restorative Justice courts for at least a year, just 13.3% had been charged with a new offense, versus 65.2% of those from similar circumstances in a matched control group who were not in an RJCC program. 

Follow the court on Twitter@CookCntyCourt