ACLU 'pleased' with charges against St. Charles youth home guards
The American Civil Liberties Union is applauding indictments announced this week against four guards at the Illinois Youth Center in St. Charles, where law enforcement officials say detainees were encouraged to attack others as a form of discipline.
The civil rights group also is pointing to the allegations as evidence that an ongoing consent decree involving the two organizations is still necessary.
"We are pleased to see the state is moving forward to investigate these incidents of abuse and to hold the staff accountable," ACLU spokesman Edwin Yohnka said. "Because nobody in (Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice facilities) should ever be subjected to the kind of horrific mistreatment that is described in these indictments."
