AFSCME issues new report on violence in Illinois Youth Centers and how to prevent it

A new report published by AFSCME Council 31, Rising Violence in Illinois Youth Centers: Causes & Cures highlights the serious problem of increased violence in the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice and outlines recommendations to reverse the trend.

The report offers statistical detail and real stories from recent incidents the significant uptick in youth assaults on staff in those centers, as well as the consequences this volatile environment has for both employees and incarcerated youth.

Some of those consequences include:

• Severe injuries to employees causing both physical and emotional trauma;
• Extreme staff demoralization;
• Loss of experienced staff and increased staff turnover, as well the inability to recruit and retain qualified and specially-trained staff;
• Persistent short-staffing and excessive overtime due to the large number of employees off work on service-connected leave, directly restricting the services and rehabilitative programming provided to youth;
• A growing atmosphere of violence and disruption that negatively affects treatment, education and other daily activities in the centers; 
• Inconsistent and poorly-implemented behavioral standards for youth that hamper effective rehabilitation strategies; and
• The failure of agency management to achieve the core goals of DJJ in providing a safe environment for youth and successfully reintegrating them into their communities.

Intended to emphasize the urgency of the problem and spur action within the agency—or, if necessary, by the legislature—the report concludes with a comprehensive list of recommendations based on front-line experience to reduce violence, increase safety and improve outcomes for youth.

Among those recommendations are listening to employees, establishing and consistently applying standards for behavior and consequences for infractions, improved training, increased staff, focus on problematic behaviors, court involvement and more.