IYC-Kewanee is a specialized medium security facility for boys in western Illinois. Kewanee essentially functions as two separate facilities. Kewanee specializes in treating juvenile sex offenders (JSOs) and youth in need of more intense mental health treatment.
Vital Statistics
Population 208
Average age: 17.3
Average Length of Stay: 8.5 months
Average Annual Cost: $84,281.69
Population by Race: 57% white, 34% African American, 8% Hispanic, 1% other.
Committing Offense Class: 1 Murder, 36 Class X felonies, 49 Class 1 felonies, 70 Class 2 felonies, 31 Class 3 felonies, 15 Class 4 felonies, 6 Class A Misdemeanors
Key Observations:
- IYC-Kewanee specializes in mental health and juvenile sex offender treatment. However, the amount of mental health services offered to the youth at the facility has been cut drastically due to severe shortages in mental health staff.
- The shortage in mental health staff hinders the facility’s ability to assess the effectiveness of its treatment programs.
- In fiscal year 2011, 70 percent of admissions to DJJ were either non-violent offenders or technical parole violators. Many, if not all, of these youth would be better served by community-based services.
- Currently, the Prisoner Review Board has the final say on a youth’s release from a facility, which creates multiple problems. DJJ is better equipped to make release decisions for youth. The Illinois legislature should give DJJ the power to make release decisions.
- Kewanee operates an inspiring music program. More programs like this in all facilities would benefit both the youth and the staff.
Read JHA's latest report here. (PDF)
The John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s initiative, Models for Change, has funded the John Howard Association of Illinois (JHA) to monitor IDJJ’s facilities.
