Editorial: Better explanation needed for canceling DuPage jail volunteers' contract

What, exactly, is DuPage County Sheriff John Zaruba trying to accomplish?

The sheriff, who is leaving office shortly after the November election, is ending a more than 30-year relationship between his office and Justice Understanding Service Teaching (J.U.S.T.) of DuPage, a local nonprofit that provides job training, addiction treatment and religious services for inmates.

Despite the fact that Zaruba apparently has a plan to provide those services through the DuPage County Health Department, firing J.U.S.T. is getting bad reviews from the Du­Page County public defender, who is deeply involved with inmates and the system.

DuPage County Public Defender Jeff York, whose office represents a large number of the jail's approximately 500 inmates, said his office is "deeply concerned about the services at the jail or lack thereof available to our clients at the jail without J.U.S.T."

The defender's office's concerns, and ours, aren't exactly being alleviated by the sheriff's lack of sufficient candor on why he is making the change. He should make it clear how his new plan is equal or superior to the current system. He needs to explain how he is confident the Health Department can handle the new assignment and delineate any changes that will occur to the program once J.U.S.T. is gone.

There's not a lot of time, if the contract with J.U.S.T. is to end on Sept. 10, as reported.

According to J.U.S.T. Executive Director Michael Beary, he can't get Zaruba to meet with him. He describes his 120-member volunteer base as "shocked and devastated."

The public also needs more information about the claim made by Sgt. Robert Harris, who in speaking for Zaruba, said in an email that a Du­Page County judge ruled the current substance abuse recovery program as administered by J.U.S.T. does not meet the Illinois Department of Corrections standards under state statute. Could J.U.S.T. have simply altered the program to meet the judge's guidelines?

Harris went on to say that the sheriff's office will continue to partner with the current volunteers who have served the inmates of the jail "in an exemplary manner" and that "little to no interruption to services is anticipated during the transition."

How is this going to work?

Bottom line, we don't know whether Zaruba's action is right or wrong for the county. But this is important enough to the inmates, their families and all county residents that the facts need to be put on the table.