LOYOLA'S COOK COUNTY JAIL PARTNERSHIP
Help for those who need it
How did it start?
It all began when Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart (JD '87), a graduate of Loyola's law school, and Phil Hale, Loyola's vice president of public affairs, ran into each other at a luncheon. Hale asked if there was any way Loyola could be of service to the county, and Dart took the question to heart. Now, over a year later, with the full support of Loyola President Michael J. Garanzini, S.J., several collaborative projects between Loyola and the jail are under way.
The partnership has proved to be beneficial on both sides. "This is very exciting from a research and educational standpoint," says Father Garanzini. "It is a wonderful opportunity for Loyola students and faculty to find out hands-on how the jail is working and how it can be improved. By the same token, this is a very real way that Loyola can put its mission to work." Hale, who has served as the main liaison and is working to make sure that the partnership retains the ongoing support of the jail and the county, remarks on the unique circumstances that enabled this cooperation: "Not every elected official would be willing to let us do this. Sheriff Dart has opened the doors to us."
What do students do?
The jail projects are many and vary across disciplines. According to Nancy Tuchman, PhD, associate provost for research and co-chair of the jail initiative, "So far we've assessed what the jail's most pressing needs and projects are. We've set boundaries given the University's main functions of education, research and outreach, but we're using the resources we have to meet the needs that we can."
This assessment and prioritizing has led to the definition of several collaborative projects.
- The School of Continuing and Professional Studies and the business school have teamed up to work on management training for sergeants, lieutenants, captains, and guards.
- Students from the law school are preparing a study of the legal issues surrounding the transportation of inmates for court appearances. • Graduate students and upperlevel ndergrads can take advantage of grant-writing internships to meet jail needs; ITS and computer science students are working to assess and improve outdated computer systems at the jail.
- Internship opportunities abound for students in psychology, criminal justice, social work, health services, and sociology. Each internship opportunity has a faculty sponsor as well as a mentor at the jail.
Lurigio, a psychologist by training, has worked with the jail for 25 years and has several projects taking place there now. He is collaborating with a graduate student to interview people who work in the jail, family members of detainees, and detainees themselves to study the effects of detention on their lives. "Being detained in jail can have intangible social and personal costs. It can affect detainees' relationships with their families and their mental health," says Lurigio.
He is also working on another project to expedite case processing so that people spend less time waiting to go to trial. "I focus on the problems of people who are involved in the legal system, who often have psychiatric and substance use problems," Lurigio says. "Our goal is to help the jail and other agencies deal more effectively and humanely with people who suffer from these afflictions. When treatment works, it prevents them from returning to the criminal justice and mental health systems."
How long will the project last?
Three years. After that, both institutions will assess the effectiveness of the many projects involved in this initiative. "These projects range from small to large. No one was naïve enough to think that any of them would be accomplished overnight," says Dart. Some of the most useful projects may be of a more analytical and longterm nature: "In the criminal justice world, it can be hard to get funding," says the sheriff. "What little money we have has to be widely used. Analysis of existing projects is an incredible help. And it's doubly beneficial, because for Loyola to have unfettered access to these programs—to pull them apart and find out how they work, or don't—that's great experience for students and for researchers alike."
How does the project fit with the University's mission?
The partnership is a manifestation of the University's mission on many levels. Father Garanzini's leadership in bringing everyone together reflects Loyola's dedication to the Chicago community, particularly to those members of it who are in the greatest need of help. "This is about seeking justice and about trying to assist those who need assistance," says Dart. "We have a jail primarily filled with minor offenders, and with the right assistance these lives can be turned around. These people return to their communities." The ultimate goal of these projects will be to improve the systems in place at the jail and to prevent those who go through those systems from returning. "If you want to talk about missionary work, this is it," says Dart. "I think it's a great fit for a Catholic university."
Says Hale, "I got an e-mail the other day from Brendan Horan [S.J., special assistant to Father Garanzini]. He came with us on one of the jail tours. He said something I didn't know—that ministry to people who are incarcerated is one of the earliest Jesuit ministries. This is all part of the tradition of being a person for others. We are providing research and training opportunities for students and faculty, and at the same time we are supporting and helping to develop a critical Chicago institution." Clearly, people on both sides of the partnership are optimistic about the possibilities. As the relationship between Loyola and the jail grows over time, all involved hope to see a difference not just within the walls of the two institutions, but in the community that both organizations ultimately serve.
Anastasia Busiek