Action needed now at youth prison

Something has to be done about the juvenile prison in St. Charles. That much is clear.

Precisely what is a little less certain, but there can be no doubt that nothing beneficial will ever emerge if the state doesn't end the see-no-evil, hear-no-evil, (and especially) speak-no-evil approach it has taken to the problem ever since a teenager killed himself in the Illinois Youth Center last month.

In the aftermath of the 16-year-old's Sept. 1 suicide, the John Howard Association of Illinois, a nonprofit group that monitors prisons, reported this week on conditions that seem nothing short of an abomination. Crumbling infrastructure. Chronic sanitation problems. Unsafe beds and plumbing that can easily be used to commit suicide. Dangerous, deteriorating windows that allow for potentially easy escape. A setup that prevents guards from seeing what the juveniles housed there are doing.

It seems unimaginable that the money could not be found to complete minimal upgrades that could help guard against suicide or other harms that could befall the 275 young offenders housed here. After all, Gov. Quinn rightly found millions of dollars to help students complete their college educations; surely he ought to be looking for the comparatively small sum that could make this facility safe.

The challenge appears to be finding a government that cares. Even weeks after the teen's suicide, no one affiliated with the prison would discuss the circumstances surrounding the death of a ward in a taxpayer-supported facility or any activities that might take place to prevent another similar tragedy. After Tuesday's Howard Association report, the pertinent leaders all maintained their studied silence.

Gov. Quinn would not respond.

The prison warden would not respond.

The communications director of the state Department of Juvenile Justice refused to say anything beyond a short three-sentence statement.

They haven't expressed regret for a boy's death. They won't even speak up to deny the Howard Association assessment or just apologize that circumstances - whatever they may be - haven't allowed them to address the situation.

Yes, the St. Charles facility is a youth prison, and prisons aren't built for comfort. But they should be safe. The wards held there in the care of the state ought to have a reasonable assurance of safety from harm either by themselves or fellow inmates. And, guards ought at minimum be able to check on their safety and their behaviors with reasonable ease.

Nor should officials justify their silence with platitudes about the wards' status as juveniles. The applicable laws here correctly protect the privacy of young offenders. They weren't meant as cover against uncomfortable questions.

A callous disregard appears evident throughout the 13-page Howard Association report that cannot be considered acceptable. Everyone associated with the St. Charles facility should come out from hiding and show they are committed to the inmates - with attention and with action.