The Juvenile Division protects abused and neglected children and prosecutes juveniles who commit crimes in Peoria County.
Abuse & Neglect Cases
In "abuse and neglect" cases, the State's Attorney's Office petitions the court to take actions to protect children who are in abusive environments or are neglected by parents or caregivers. Outcomes from these petitions range from placement of the children back with their parents under various degrees of supervision from the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and other social agencies, to outright termination of parental rights and permanent placement of children in healthier environments or families.
Additional Duties
The Juvenile Division is also responsible for the prosecution of offenders 16 years of age and younger for felony offenses and 17 years of age and younger for misdemeanor offenses (excluding traffic offenses). Juveniles who are adjudged delinquent for these criminal acts can be given dispositions that range from probation to placement at juvenile detention facilities such as Illinois Youth Centers operated by the Department of Juvenile Justice. Juvenile court hearings are closed to the general public under Illinois law.