The recent increase of violence not only at Illinois youth centers but also at state prisons received attention during a Dec. 5 House Appropriations-Public Safety Committee hearing.
Although the Illinois Youth Center in Harrisburg isn’t officially in state Rep. Dave Severin’s (R-Benton) 117th District, the lawmaker nevertheless attended the meeting, according to a release on his website.
“Harrisburg IYC is not technically in my district but I do have constituents with ties to the IYC and adult facilities throughout Southern Illinois, so I felt it was important for me to attend the hearing,” Severin said in the release. "The number of incidents resulting in serious injuries is increasing, so this hearing was an important step to determine what needs to be done to reduce the violence that the men and women serving as public safety officials in these facilities face."
Rep. Dave Severin’s (R-Benton)
Severin said he became aware of the problem when Department of Corrections employees corroborated media reports about conflicts between residents and staff members, the release said.
Severin lauded the hearing, which he said would improve dialogue between all groups, but cautioned that this was only a first step.
“I hope to be a part of further discussions in the weeks and months to come until we find a comprehensive solution that addresses these serious issues to reduce assaults on staff,” he said in the release.
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