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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZING EARL DUNLAP FOR HIS SERVICE AS TRANSITIONAL ADMINSTRATOR OF THE COOK COUNTY JUVENILE TEMPORARY DETENTION CENTER AND HIS TIRELESS WORK ON BEHALF OF THE CHILDREN AND STAFF IN THE FACILITY
WHEREAS, Earl Dunlap was appointed Transitional Administrator of the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) in 2007 by the United States Northern District Court in Doe v. Cook County et al., 99 cv 03945; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Dunlap is one of the foremost experts in the Country on juvenile detention best practices; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Dunlap has over 45 years of experience in the juvenile justice field; and
WHEREAS, the court tasked Mr. Dunlap with bringing the JTDC into substantial compliance with all orders of the court and the constitution; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Dunlap reformed the staffing and hiring processes to professionalize staff at the JTDC to better service our youth; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Dunlap instituted the “Center within a Center” model in the JTDC to make cultural change in the facility more practical, create more consistent staffing in living units, and ensure that staff and youth are familiar with programs specific to their center, which could become a national model for operations of large detention facilities; and
WHEREAS, under Mr. Dunlap’s leadership, the JTDC received accreditation by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care; and
WHEREAS, the health and safety of the children and staff at the JTDC were always his top priority; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Dunlap has introduced major technological initiatives including video and information management systems to support best practices for protection from harm and conditions of confinement; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Dunlap, through his work and collaboration with various county departments has succeeded in bringing the JTDC into substantial compliance with the various court orders in Doe; and
WHEREAS, on May 15, 2015, the court ordered by agreement of all the parties that effective today May 20, 2015, control of the JTDC will transition to the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County and Mr. Dunlap shall assume the role of “Court Appointed Expert” for a three month observation period; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Dunlap, after the observation period, will return to his home in Effingham, Illinois, to sit on the lake, fish, and reflect on his accomplishments.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the President and The Cook County Board of Commissioners, that we on the behalf of the citizens of Cook County; the children who resided at the JTDC; and the staff that worked under his supervision thank Mr. Dunlap for his exemplary service; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Earl Dunlap as a token of our gratitude and recognition of his contributions to juvenile justice reform in Cook County.
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