Finding New Leadership For Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center

CHICAGO - May 28, 2014 - PRLog -- Cook County Justice for Children (CCJC), an independent nonprofit that seeks to ensure the just and effective administration of the Cook County Juvenile Court, shared its  thoughts on the current search being conducted by Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans for the next leader of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center. The letter below was sent to Chief Judge Evans and, in its entirety, is as follows:

“Cook County Justice for Children (CCJC) is very pleased to hear your recent announcement that your office will begin a national search for new leadership at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) in anticipation of the pending transfer of the JTDC from a federal court appointed administrator to the Circuit Court of Cook County.  With over twelve (12) years of proven partnership and collaboration with the Cook County Juvenile Court first through our predecessor organization, Jane Addams Juvenile Court Foundation (JAJCF),  and now through our efforts - CCJC shares with both you and the County a vested interest in continuing to decrease the population at the JTDC by diverting more youth to community-based alternatives and ensuring that the complex needs of  those youth who must be detained are met in a humane and developmentally appropriate way.

We certainly value the work that the Office of the Chief Judge has done on behalf of our youth to date and look forward to continued transparency and openness as the national search moves forward. Specifically, we urge the Court to take a leadership role in advancing transparency and public accountability in all areas of government by sharing information about the selection and hiring process, including the time-frame of the search and the qualifications of the person the Court ultimately selects as the ideal candidate for this position.

Moreover, once appointed,  we hope that the new leadership will be open to working with CCJC and others to focus on three essential priorities for making a difference for our court involved children: 1) the promotion of a culture of transparency and accountability within the Juvenile Court through the timely sharing of accurate court data and information; 2) the systematic reduction of  the racial disparities that have long plagued us; and 3) collaboration with the juvenile justice community to enhance the available resources and knowledge available to the JTDC.

As a past and current friend of the Court, we greatly appreciate the work of the Court and offer to the Office of the Chief Judge any resources that we may have at our disposal in furtherance of our shared goals of rehabilitating our youth, while also maintaining public trust and safety."

About

 Established in July 2012, Cook County Justice for Children (CCJC) is an independent, privately funded nonprofit organization that seeks to ensure the just and effective administration of the Cook County Juvenile Court, which encompasses the Child Protection and Juvenile Justice Divisions, as well as the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC).  Specifically, CCJC is committed to promoting increased transparency and public reporting by the Cook County Juvenile Court, the alignment of child protection and juvenile justice court processes with established best practices, and advancing public understanding of the role and work of the court and detention center. For more information about CCJC visit www.cookcountyjustice.org.