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| Juvenile Detention |
| By chicagotonight.wttw.com - Paris Schutz |
| Published: 10/17/2013 |
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Cook County's Juvenile Detention Center is more about rehabilitation than incarceration. Most inmates are awaiting trial in juvenile court, and usually stay no longer than a month or two. They attend classes with a normal Chicago Public Schools curriculum. They're allowed to paint the walls of their rooms. They shoot hoops. And they all get personalized mental health evaluations. “We have mood disorders. They come in with substance abuse, major clinical symptoms, major depression, major anxiety disorders,” said psychiatrist Thaddeus Garlewski. We joined Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle as she gave us a rare look inside the center. She was there to let residents know it'll get a little more crowded starting in January. That's when a new state law mandates 17-year-olds accused of many felonies be tried as juveniles. Up until now, they've been tried as adults and sent to prison. Preckwinkle says she pushed for the age change. “The reason we have juvenile courts is because juveniles are not the same as adults,” said Preckwinkle. “They don't have the capacity to make intelligent choices and they don't make the same good judgment.” “The longer that we keep kids in the juvenile system as opposed to the adult system is not only better for them but better for taxpayers in general,” said John Maki. Maki runs the John Howard Association, a non-partisan prison watchdog group. He says the Department of Corrections should be focused on keeping kids from entering and re-entering the adult system. “Prison tends to make, especially lower level offenders, younger people, worse,” said Maki. “And so, if we get a younger kid who's just involved, we need to do everything we can, everything in our power, to help that kid change. And the juvenile system is much better at that.” But some critics say the change in law will come at the expense of public safety. Read More. |
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