Juvenile justice advocates say they hope the appointment this week of Judge Donna Cooper to oversee the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Juvenile Division will result in an expansion of programs that help youth avoid some of the negative consequences of becoming involved in the criminal justice system.
Advocates and courthouse insiders cited her experience leading one of the the county’s neighborhood-based and restorative justice-focused alternative programs for young adults as a sign that the program could be expanded to include juvenile defendants as well.
