Joliet 10-17-12

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INSIDE

SPORTS JCA’s Hutchinson wins sectional Page 13

NEWS Midwest Generation faces pollution charges

ONLINE More news at buglenewspapers.com

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Our Village, Our News

www.jolietbugle.com

OCTOBER 17, 2012

Vol. 5 No. 7

Injunction halts IYC-Joliet closure Two sides meet to decide future of Joliet youth center, other state facilities By Jonathan Samples Staff Reporter

Arbitration continued this week between Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration and the union representing state employees at Joliet’s youth center and several other state facilities. The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees and the administration entered into arbitration after Quinn finalized his plan to close seven state prison facilities. Last week, First District Circuit Court judge Charles Cavaness issued an injunction preventing the administration from closing

“This injunction prevents the Quinn administration

from taking any steps to move forward with the closures, including transferring inmates or layingoff employees, until our grievances are resolved.” Anders Lindall, AFSCME spokesperson. those facilities. “This injunction prevents the Quinn administration from taking any steps to move forward with the closures, including transferring inmates or laying-off employees, until our grievances are resolved,” AFSCME spokesperson Anders

Lindall said. Of those facilities originally scheduled to close Aug. 31, IYCJoliet has received significant attention from local lawmakers because of its status as the only maximum-security youth detention facility in the state. Illinois Sen. Pat McGuire

has said that the Joliet youth center’s proximity to Cook County, as well as the level of security and types of services it provides, are important reasons why it should remain operational. “I understand the importance of community-based treatment for some youths, but we’re talking about maximumsecurity youth,” McGuire told the Bugle in a June interview. “I doubt if community-based care and ankle bracelets are appropriate for them.” Under the plan, juveniles currently housed at the Joliet facility would be transferred to detention centers in St.

Charles and Kewanee. The governor has said the closures are necessary because of fiscal concerns. Furthermore, fewer juvenile detainees and a desire to move away from detention and towards rehabilitation for juveniles has motivated the governor’s decision regarding IYC-Joliet and youth detention facility in Murphysboro. However, critics have said the closures would put lesshardened juvenile inmates at risk and affect the safety of employees. Lindall said the closures would jeopardize the safety of both employees and See YOUTH CENTER, page 2


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