Juvenile Center closure has cost county nearly 1 million dollars

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - It has been just over a year since the Sangamon County Juvenile Facility was forced to close after an inmate got a gun, held someone hostage, and was killed by police while trying to escape.

As part of the closure, the facility underwent $400,000 in renovations to increase security. While those are complete, the facility can't open until they get enough staff. In the meantime, juveniles who would normally be held there, have been transported across the state.

"If we do get a notification that there is a bed available at a juvenile facility, we have to send two officers on that transport to wherever that juvenile is going," said Sara Pickford, Deputy Chief of the Springfield Police Department. "That takes the officers off the street for however long it takes for them to get up there and get him or her process into that facility and back down to Springfield."

SPD officers have transported teens to eight different counties, including Adams, St. Clair, Knox, and Cook. Sangamon County officials have signed a new agreement to send juveniles to Lake County as well, which is 220 miles from Springfield and just 20 miles from the Wisconsin border.

This year, the county has spent nearly $500,000 to house juveniles at other facilities. Sangamon County officials say while they are trying to reopen the facility, they still haven't gotten enough staff. The minimum for them to re-open is 16 staff members. Currently they have hired 10 people.

"We've increased entry level pay, we've offered bonuses, we've done some shift differential pays for people that work the late night shift," said Brian McFadden. Sangamon County Administrator. "It's different folks out there now in the workforce pools, a lot of them don't want to work an overnight shift for 10 years, and then get on day shift."

McFadden said the fact that the facility hasn't been open has offset some of the additional costs, as the county hasn't' been paying for food or medical care. However, the $500,000 projected cost this year is still significantly higher than the $25,000 the county usually sets asides for this purpose.

Until the Sangamon County Juvenile Facility reopens, the county will still be dependent on other buildings to house their teens. When beds aren't available, those juveniles will continue to be released to their parents or guardians.