title
REPORT
Department: Cook County Justice Advisory Council
Report Title: The Annual Report of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center Advisory Board for 2019
Report Period: Annual Report for 2019
Summary: Pursuant to Cook County Ordinance Art VI. Div. 3. Sec. 2-511-520 the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center Advisory Board (hereinafter “Advisory Board”) shall submit to the Executive Director of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (hereinafter “JTDC”), the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, the Board of Commissioners for Cook County, and the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners an annual report containing public recommendations for actions which may be necessary in carrying out the mission, purpose and intent of the JTDC. The Advisory Board is charged with providing public recommendations on maximizing the use of current resources and on meeting the physical, social, and psychological needs of the population, as well as establishing public performance measures to track and measure the achievement of the JTDC’s mission.
This year the Advisory Board focuses its report on the use of punitive room confinement. In previous years the JTDC has shown an increase in the use of room confinements. This report outlines the harmful nature of confinement and the information we have been able to receive regarding the use of confinements in the JTDC. The advisory board issued a number of recommendations including greater transparency and information sharing between the JTDC and the Cook County Board of Commissioners and the public as well as to focus efforts on eliminating solitary confinement. This work was aided by the members of the Advisory Board, ex-officio member Commissioner Stanley Moore, as well as Commissioner Bridget Gainer, whose office has provided insight and guidance.
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