Cook County, Illinois, To Launch Youth Jail Alternative Pilot

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) announced it intends to launch a pilot program in early 2026 to provide academic support and after-school wraparound services as an alternative to pretrial detention for male youth charged with committing serious offenses.

Services will include cognitive behavioral therapy, tutoring, intensive mentoring, and family engagement. The pilot intends to offer long-term strategies to improve public safety through meaningful interventions to prevent at-risk youth from engaging in violent crime. More than $1 million in funding came from the Cook County Justice Advisory Council (JAC) and a private foundation.

The . . .