Announcement, Press Release |
Two state agencies with authority over Illinois juvenile detention center operations have given the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) exemplary reviews in separate reports issued in recent weeks.
The Administrative Office of Illinois Courts (AOIC) Division of Probation Services, which reviews detention center operations, determined that the JTDC met or exceeded each of the 32 Standards in the AOIC Detention Standards. The review was conducted in September 2024 and the results were forwarded to our office earlier this month by Marcia M. Meis, Director of the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts. In addition, an inspection by the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ), which reviews facility standards, found that the facility was compliant with the IDJJ’s County Detention Standards, with no areas of non-compliance. That review was conducted in July 2024, with the results also recently released.
“We are pleased with the results of these reviews of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center,” Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans said. “We intend to continue to improve trauma-informed programming and connection to services for the young people in our care. Our efforts continue with our commitment to ‘reimagine youth detention’ with smaller, trauma-informed facilities and to increase the number of youth diverted from detention.”
Following the first site review since December 2022, the AOIC remarked that “the facility has made several noted improvements to their overall operations,” including the elimination of strip-searches as part of the routine search process and the elimination of fixed-room time as a disciplinary measure.
The review team also identified several areas of strength within the JTDC. Some of their highlighted strengths include “a robust education program and relationship with Chicago Public Schools, and an accredited medical and mental health program through the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare (NCCHC).” Reviewers also complimented the JTDC’s Ambassador Program “that allows residents to become leaders.”
The JTDC has a rated capacity of 498 beds. At the time of the review, the JTDC had 215 juveniles in detention, with nine female residents and 206 male residents. At the time of the review, all residents were being held for Cook County, except for one being held for Sangamon County. According to the Juvenile Monitoring Information System (JMIS), the average length of stay for youth in 2023 was 32 days. The JTDC is currently staffed by a superintendent, eight assistant superintendents, 42 supervisors, and 243 full-time youth development specialists.
The full reports can be found online from the AOIC and the IDJJ.
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