By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – After a short delay to finalize staffing and safety preparations, the new Monarch Center in Lincoln is now housing youth, marking a major milestone for the long-planned juvenile justice facility in central Illinois.

Officials say the brief gap between the grand opening and youth arrivals was due to routine preparations, with staff training, running safety drills, and finalizing educational plans before accepting youth.

“Lincoln has been hit by a couple of events that have been detrimental to jobs, and we’re still waiting to understand what the Logan Correctional Center is going to do,” said state Rep. Bill Hauter, R-Morton. “But this center feels like a commitment by the state to have a centralized location for youth in secure custody, somewhere bright, new, open and up to date. Being in the center of the state is so important for caregivers and loved ones who want to be closer to their communities while they have a juvenile in custody.”

Logan Correctional Center in Logan County is slated for a major rebuild as part of a statewide effort to modernize aging prisons, but the facility’s future location and timeline remain uncertain, raising concerns among local leaders about jobs and economic impact. The current prison will stay open while plans for a new, modern facility are finalized.

In October, according to an Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice news release, IDJJ celebrated the grand opening of a new youth center. The IDJJ began housing youth in late-November, but staff have been working since the grand opening.

“As is standard with large-scale transitions, IDJJ set a flexible goal for opening to ensure all facility and staffing needs were met to safely accept youth. IDJJ worked as quickly and diligently as possible while ensuring facility and staffing standards were met,” said IDJJ spokesperson Dominique Newman. “There has been ample work for staff preparing to receive youth in this facility for the first time, including training, practicing safety protocols, procedures in medical emergencies, lesson planning, and tasks like creation of programming calendars. This will enhance the success of staff and youth at Monarch.”

The Monarch Youth Center has a 30 bed capacity and is located on the site of the former Lincoln Developmental Center. The youth center is a result of the Pritzker administration’s 21st Century Transformation Plan that was announced in 2020. Funding and oversight for the construction and renovations of Monarch Youth Center came from the Illinois Capital Development Board.

Illinois State Sen. Sally Turner, R-Beason, said she still hopes to learn more about the criteria for which youth are sent to Monarch.

“I am curious about what the criteria is of a person that’s going to be residing there,” she said, noting she plans to ask the center’s director directly.

IDJJ said all of its facilities are medium security except one, Pere Marquette, which is minimum security.

Turner said the Monarch Center is already providing stability and new employment opportunities in a county still bracing for possible changes at Logan Correctional Center.

“It has been a good resource for people in our community to have a job there,” Turner said.

She noted that many residents are watching the ongoing review of the women’s prison closely.

“We don’t know what the status is going to be at the Logan Correctional Center,” she said, adding that having a new state-run facility operating in Lincoln provides reassurance.

Hauter’s district includes Lincoln.

“If you have to be in that kind of setting, it’s a good one. It’s modern, secure, and it gives these kids a real chance at rehabilitation,” said Hauter.