Annazette R. Collins brings a wealth of professional experience and commitment to juvenile justice reform to her current work as Illinois State Representative, 10th District, and Chair of the House Juvenile Justice Reform Committee.
Annazette R. Collins was born April 28, 1962 on the WestSide of Chicago. She attended neighborhood schools during elementary education and gained her secondary education from Whitney M. Young Magnet High School. She completed an undergraduate degree in sociology at Northern Illinois University, and received a Masters of Science degree in Criminal Justice at Chicago State University, and did further graduate work in Psychology Counseling at Chicago State University.
Ms. Collins professional career began with Ada S. McKinley as a social worker, and then spent several years as a correctional officer with the bureau of prisons. It was during this period that Representative Collins felt that her career should follow a different path. She sought to fulfill her commitment to youth issues by securing employment first with the Cook County Probation Department, and then with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. It was obvious that Ms. Collins had discovered her niche. She gave a decade of service to addressing the needs of Abused and Neglected children, one of the most valuable and needy groups in society. Her commitment and professionalism drew positive appraisal as she rose through the ranks to the position of Public Service Administrator. She subsequently served as a liaison between the Dept. of Children and Family Services and Chicago Public Schools, assuring that the educational needs of youth in the child welfare system were adequately addressed.
It is a unique passion for youth issues, which symbolizes Ms. Collins’ contribution in the public sector. Having grown up in an impoverished neighborhood in the City of Chicago, then worked in staff and administrative levels in a variety of key agencies addressing children’s issues, Ms. Collins is uniquely qualified to identify and address systemic barriers to improved services for youth. Seeking to address systemic problems in the child welfare and juvenile justice fields through legislative reform, Ms. Collins ran for the statehouse. Representative Collins was first elected to the House of Representatives in November, 2000. Representative Collins is currently serving her fifth term. She is the Chair of the House Juvenile Justice Reform Committee, and is Chair of Public Utilities, and on the Committee of the Whole, Committee of Human Services; Vice Chairman of Judiciary II-Criminal Law; and State Government.
Representative Collins has spearheaded most of the major juvenile justice reforms in Illinois. In 2006 Representative Collins sponsored legislation separating juvenile corrections from adult to create a new state agency called the Department of Juvenile Justice; and she subsequently has annually set up subject matter hearings to track the progress of the department. She has been the successful sponsor of transfer reform legislation, and legislation to raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction to 18. She has co-sponsored numerous other juvenile justice measures.
Ms. Collins is married to Keith Langston and is the parent of Angelique Nicole and Taylor Kourtnie. Annazette believes in strong spiritual values as indispensable in enhancing family solidarity.