Kane County agrees to house DuPage juvenile offenders

Despite protests Tuesday from some DuPage County officials, the Kane County Board agreed to house juvenile offenders from the neighboring county.

A DuPage County Board member, two residents, West Chicago police and the president of the DuPage County Chiefs of Police asked Kane County to delay the vote and further study the matter. The police officials said they hadn't been consulted during the planning of the agreement as to how it would affect their communities' operations and budgets.

“Let's not pass this off to municipalities,” DuPage County Board member Dirk Enger said.

Those opposed questioned whether money will be saved, and whether Kane County has the staff to accommodate up to 24 more inmates. They said DuPage officials also hadn't worked out with local police departments how juvenile suspects will be transported to Kane County.

The DuPage County Board wants to close its juvenile detention center to save money. It will pay Kane County $110 per inmate per day to be housed at the Juvenile Justice Center.

“What is a little bit troubling to me is I have never seen the (Kane) board put into a position (by request) to interject in or override another public body's position. I doubt very much you (Kane board members) would like it if another county board did that to you,” Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay said.

Enger also pointed out Kane board members did not receive a copy of the proposed contract until he gave each of them one last Friday. Copies of actual contracts are not routinely included in Kane board packets, just resolutions to approve them. Board members can request a copy, McConnaughay said.

Kane County Board member Bonnie Kunkel disagreed with that practice, saying how reading the contract spurred her questions about the matter. She questioned locking in the $110 figure for four years — saying the county's cost might increase — and voted against the contract. Nineteen board members voted in favor.

The contract calls for the DuPage inmates to be housed separately when possible. The JJC director noted that may not always be done, as they have to keep co-defendants separate and keep high-risk kids with low-risk kids.

The county has housed juvenile inmates from Kendall and DeKalb counties for about 20 years, and also takes inmates from McHenry County. It can accommodate up to 160 people.

“The more kids you put in that facility, the cheaper it is to run it,” said Doug Naughton, Kane County's court administrator.