As reported by in a recent Sun-Times article by Andy Grimm, one in four youth who spend time in the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center will get shot or killed following release, at a rate 20 times higher than the general population.
This stark data is horrifying yet, unfortunately, not surprising. Juvenile detention has isolating, harmful effects on the mental, emotional and social well-being of vulnerable children, especially Black and Brown children. The harm caused by confinement and isolation risks lifelong consequences, as youth in detention are still developing and maturing for years after release.
