Join us!
The Youth Justice Community of Practice (YJCP) will convene in Cook County, Illinois September 29 to October 2, 2026.
Hosted by the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR), 20+ youth justice agencies from across the country that participate in the YJCP will gather to discuss promising practices, visit model programs, and strengthen collaboration across the community.
In partnership with the Cook County Justice Advisory Committee (JAC) and Juvenile Probation and Court Services Department, YJCP members will attend site visits to innovative programs in the Chicago area and hold meetings with local system and community stakeholders.
Following two days of YJCP site visits and forums, NICJR will also convene a full day symposium to examine the issue of NICJR’s new publication: High Risk and Hard to Reach Youth (HR2). YJCP members and other youth justice experts will engage in a deliberative dialogue on the subject.