Kane County court officials join new Emerging Adults Task Force

The Illinois Judicial Conference appointed Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser and Kane County Court Services Executive Director Lisa Aust to its new Emerging Adults Task Force.

The task force will study and recommend best practices for courts working with justice-involved emerging adults ages 18 to 24.

“As a prosecutor, I see firsthand the challenges faced by emerging adults in the criminal justice system,” Mosser said in a news release from the state’s attorney’s office. “This age group has unique needs and opportunities for rehabilitation that require tailored approaches. I’m honored to be appointed to the Emerging Adults Task Force and look forward to studying solutions that promote accountability while offering pathways to better futures for young adults in our communities.”

The Illinois Judicial Conference created the Emerging Adults Task Force as part of its 2025 Operational Plan, which supports the Illinois Supreme Court’s goal of ensuring fair and efficient courts.

“The science is increasingly clear that young people’s brains are literally wired differently than mature adults,” Aust said in the release. “We know that their brains are more resilient, more elastic, and capable of great leaps in learning. Now we know that their brains really don’t fully mature until about age 24 or 25. We’re looking at this as an opportunity to re-imagine how the courts can work with this group to take into account their thinking and potential for change. It’s an exciting initiative.”

Emerging adults are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system, often without consideration of their unique needs. The new task force will review the issue’s prevalence, assess current practices in Illinois and explore new, effective approaches to improve outcomes for justice-involved young adults, according to the release.

The task force will be chaired by Lisa Jacobs, associate director of the Legislation and Policy Clinic at Loyola University School of Law, and vice chaired by Kathy Starkovich, deputy director of the Department of Probation and Court Services at the 18th Judicial Circuit.

The Emerging Adults Task Force will begin its work immediately and is expected to submit its recommendations by October 2025.