§ 6-1 — Probation departments; functions and duties

(1) The chief judge of each circuit shall make provision for probation services for each county in the chief judge's circuit. The appointment of officers to probation or court services departments and the administration of such departments shall be governed by the provisions of the Probation and Probation Officers Act. (2) Every county or every group of counties constituting a probation district shall maintain a court services or probation department subject to the provisions of the Probation and Probation Officers Act. For the purposes of this Act, such a court services or probation department has, but is not limited to, the following powers and duties: (a) When authorized or directed by the court, to receive, investigate and evaluate complaints indicating dependency, requirement of authoritative intervention, addiction or delinquency within the meaning of Sections 2-3, 2-4, 3-3, 4-3, or 5-105, respectively; to determine or assist the complainant in determining whether a petition should be filed under Sections 2-13, 3-15, 4-12, or 5-520 or whether referral should be made to an agency, association or other person or whether some other action is advisable; and to see that the indicating filing, referral or other action is accomplished. However, no such investigation, evaluation or supervision by such court services or probation department is to occur with regard to complaints indicating only that a minor may be a chronic or habitual truant. (a-1) To confer in a preliminary conference, with a view to adjusting suitable cases without the filing of a petition as provided for in Section 2-12 or Section 5-305. (b) When a petition is filed under Section 2-13, 3-15, 4-15, or 5-520, to make pre-adjudicatory investigations and formulate recommendations to the court when the court has authorized or directed the department to do so. (b-1) When authorized or directed by the court, and with the consent of the party respondents and the State's Attorney, to confer in a pre-adjudicatory conference, with a view to adjusting suitable cases as provided for in Section 2-12 or Section 5-305. (c) To counsel and, by order of the court, to supervise minors referred to the court; to conduct indicated programs of casework, including referrals for medical and mental health service, organized recreation and job placement for wards of the court and, when appropriate, for members of the family of a ward; to act as liaison officer between the court and agencies or associations to which minors are referred or through which they are placed; when so appointed, to serve as guardian of the person of a ward of the court; to provide probation supervision and protective supervision ordered by the court; and to provide like services to wards and probationers of courts in other counties or jurisdictions who have lawfully become local residents. (d) To arrange for placements pursuant to court order. (e) To assume administrative responsibility for such detention, shelter care and other institutions for minors as the court may operate. (f) To maintain an adequate system of case records, statistical records, and financial records related to juvenile detention and shelter care and to make reports to the court and other authorized persons, and to the Supreme Court pursuant to the Probation and Probation Officers Act. (g) To perform such other services as may be appropriate to effectuate the purposes of this Act or as may be directed by any order of court made under this Act. (3) The court services or probation department in any probation district or county having less than 1,000,000 inhabitants, or any personnel of the department, may be required by the circuit court to render services to the court in other matters as well as proceedings under this Act. (4) In any county or probation district, a probation department may be established as a separate division of a more inclusive department of court services, with any appropriate divisional designation. The organization of any such department of court services and the appointment of officers and other personnel must comply with the Probation and Probation Officers Act. (5) For purposes of this Act only, probation officers appointed to probation or court services departments shall be considered peace officers. In the exercise of their official duties, probation officers, sheriffs, and police officers may, anywhere within the State, arrest any minor who is in violation of any of the conditions of the minor's probation, continuance under supervision, or informal supervision, and it shall be the duty of the officer making the arrest to take the minor before the court having jurisdiction over the minor for further action.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 103-22, eff. 8-8-23.)