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DCFS bans some youth shackling after uproar

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Illinois

The use of handcuffs or shackles for transporting youth is now banned by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

The policy change comes after two teenage boys, ages 15 and 17, were handcuffed and shackled at their ankles while being driven from a youth shelter in Chicago to another living arrangement in Palatine, DCFS said.

The teens were restrained for nearly 30 miles while being transported by a company hired by DCFS.

* Sun-Times…

DCFS spokesperson Jassen Strokosch confirmed Wednesday night that effective immediately, the use of handcuffs and/or shackles for transporting youth was prohibited.

However, “soft restraints” are allowed only if they are court ordered or ordered by a psychiatrist, Strokosch said. […]

The youths were restrained and driven by the Jim Stewart Transportation company, whom DCFS contracts for “secured transport” when a case manager feels they cannot shuttle the young people themselves, Strokosch said.

DCFS has contracted Jim Stewart Transportation for secured transport about 120 times since 2017, Strokosch said. The company and DCFS inked a new two-year deal in July worth about $240,000, he said.

* Elyssa Cherney at the Tribune…

It is not clear how widespread the practice is. Strokosch said the agency has not tracked when restraints were used but is investigating now to determine that.

The recent cases occurred on Oct. 1 and involved a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old being moved to a new living arrangement from a shelter on the city’s South Side. The teenage boys were handcuffed and shackled at the ankles for about an hour as they were driven to Palatine in separate trips. The driver worked for a DCFS contractor, Jim Stewart Transportation.

Staff at the shelter, run by Aunt Martha’s Health & Wellness, were “shocked and surprised” to see the driver arrive with shackles, according to Ricardo Meza, an attorney for the organization.

Meza and the organization’s chief executive officer sent a letter Saturday to a special master appointed in the federal consent decree case, explaining that Aunt Martha’s objected to the restraints and notified DCFS about its concerns Oct. 2.

DCFS doesn’t track when shackles are used on kids?

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 14, 19 @ 10:23 am

Comments

When you can’t restrain people that are unruly, you are not going to be able to control situations and in turn keep all involved safe.

Comment by Unpopular Thursday, Nov 14, 19 @ 10:27 am
A good shacklin’ will straighten these kids out?

America loves it’s shackles…that’s for sure.

What harm could it do?…asked no one?

Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, Nov 14, 19 @ 10:51 am
There just seems no end to the failures with DCFS. Man…I guess there’s nothing for it except to keep trying to find these buried mines as best we can. It makes me sigh so hard…

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Nov 14, 19 @ 10:52 am
If DCFS has been contracting with the company since 2017, and just signed a new contract in July, where are the contracts? Why are there no records of state payments to this vendor?

Keep digging folks, keep digging.

Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Nov 14, 19 @ 11:08 am
Unpopular, you might want to rethink the “I know nothing about the situation but surely the children deserved it” take.

Traumatizing children should always be the absolute last option.

Comment by Perrid Thursday, Nov 14, 19 @ 11:13 am
CBS 2 just broke a story on DCFS leaving a 10 year old with psych problems in their offices for 30 hours. Enough is enough. When will people be held accountable.

Comment by Come On Thursday, Nov 14, 19 @ 11:21 am
Governors own.

This continued narrative of peeling back more and more issues, be it policy or procedure, yeah it’s overwhelming but there’s not much pointing to proactive things versus reacting to, you guessed it, reactive bad news.

It’s the reactionary nature of these issues that are as troubling as them happening to begin with.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 14, 19 @ 11:25 am
Traumatizing children is never a solution and all ways represents a terrible failure.

Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, Nov 14, 19 @ 11:26 am
Does this company that uses shackles on foster kids - provide non secured transports? If not are we really paying some guy About $2k to drive a kid 30 minutes?

Comment by Kyle Hillman Thursday, Nov 14, 19 @ 12:57 pm
=== It is not clear how widespread the practice is. Strokosch said the agency has not tracked when restraints were used but is investigating ===

Kyle Hillman nails it. The answer is “every time.”

When you contract with a company that specializes in handcuffing passengers, that contract comes with a “100 percent handcuffed or your money back guarantee.”

DCFS is investigating itself? What?? When are the legislative hearings?

Just keep digging, just keep digging.

Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Nov 14, 19 @ 2:15 pm