*This paper explains that in Illinois children of any age can be arrested, charged, and adjudicated delinquent ,and calls for Illinois to set a minimum age of criminal responsibility at age 14 so that children ages 13 and under cannot be arrested or charged in either juvenile or adult criminal systems. It recommends the State support healthy childhood development by providing children with supportive services in lieu of traditional juvenile justice responses and focus on restorative and rehabilitative efforts that not only decrease the rates of recidivism but also allow for a more purposeful and reasoned responses to children in need. Following an introduction, Section 1 describes research on brain development which shows that children are limited in their ability to reason, control impulses, and understand the consequences of their actions. Section 2 reviews what happened to a child when he or she comes into conflict with the law, including data on rates of arrest and detention of Illinois children and adolescents, and provides an overview of the evolution of Illinois laws related to children and adolescents in conflict with the law.
