Section 6 – Formal/Informal Station Adjustments

As an alternative to referring the case to Juvenile Court, a youth officer may release a young person from custody with a station adjustment.  There are two types of station adjustments: informal and formal.  A youth officer may give an informal station adjustment if he decides there is probable cause to believe the juvenile committed an offense.  A formal station adjustment is different in that a juvenile must also admit involvement in the alleged offense.  The juvenile’s admission can later be used as evidence against him if he violates the terms of the formal adjustment and his case is referred to court.

Although they are not convictions, station adjustments usually appear in a juvenile’s arrest history.  All formal station adjustments must be recorded with the Illinois State Police.  Informal station adjustments for felonies must also be recorded with the Illinois State Police, and informal station adjustments for misdemeanors may be recorded.  Station adjustments can be expunged from a juvenile’s record.

There were 1,733 formal and 7,040 informal station adjustments reported by CPD in 2010.