Resident alleges maltreatment and policy noncompliance at Winnebago County juvenile detention center

Jacqueline Hawkins used the board's public-comment period Feb. 8 to allege ongoing mistreatment of young people at the Winnebago County Juvenile Detention Center, citing a 2023 inspection report she said found noncompliance in mental-health services, discipline, education and recreation.

Hawkins told the board: "Children and adults have suffered cruel and unusual treatment during confinement at the center," and said the 2023 inspection "found non compliance issues, namely mental health services, discipline, education, and recreation and leisure time." She also said staff "maltreatment of children are known crimes against the state" and raised a conflict-of-interest concern about detention officers who serve as "officer advocates." Hawkins repeated that some detained youth are "innocent until proven guilty and shouldn't be referred to as criminals."

The claim matters because the inspection report is a formal document that, according to Hawkins, lists repeated findings and identifies programs the center should have discontinued. Hawkins said the report recommended termination of a "direct group" program after the 2022 report but alleged that an apparently similar "redirect group" program remained in use in 2023.

Board chair repeatedly cut Hawkins off when her allotted three minutes expired. The chair offered to speak with her after the meeting and no formal response or staff rebuttal was recorded in the public meeting minutes. The transcript records no board vote, staff report, or agency statement in response during the Feb. 8 session.

What was said and what happens next: Hawkins asked the board to demand accountability and oversight and to investigate alleged conflicts of interest by staff. The board did not schedule any formal action on the record at the Feb. 8 meeting; the chair suggested a post-meeting conversation. The inspection report Hawkins cited was described in her remarks but was not introduced into the meeting record during public comment.

The meeting record shows the board adjourned after routine business. If the board or county staff release a response or an agenda item is scheduled, the board meeting record will reflect any new actions requested by Hawkins. In the meantime the transcript leaves the allegations on the public record without an on-the-record investigation or vote.