Illinois legislators are asking the U.S. Department of Justice to look into Illinois’ troubled residential treatment centers. A recent series by the Chicago Tribune uncovered abuse at state funded youth residences. Julie Biehl is a professor in the children and family justice center at Northwestern University. She says it’s important to clean up the residential centers.
But she hopes the feds really focus on efforts to keep kids out of residential placement altogether.
“This is an important point that has to be raised for everyone who wants to be fiscally responsible and also responsible for youth in our state’s guardianship and welfare.”
Biehl says the absolute worst thing that could come out of this would be more money spent in residential centers instead of community care.
IL lawmakers asking DOJ to look into youth centers
