In listing the various things your editorial board thought might not be good fiscal management by Cook County, you listed the county boot camp (“`The state of Cook County,'” Editorial, Sept. 28).
While the gist of your editorial was right on target, including the boot camp certainly wasn’t a good idea.
The boot camp, which serves as a 17-week residency program and eight months of follow-up for 248 young men at any one time, is one of the best things the county has ever done to keep kids away from prison while offering them a positive, responsible training.
The boot camp is well-run, and the staff as a group is made up of top-notch professionals who are doing a fine job of salvaging young lives and saving various levels of government considerable money. It is the best thing I have seen in a lifetime of volunteer work in corrections. The camp’s low recidivism rate and the support of many judges and court-related services are a great tribute and endorsement to the program.
To ask the state to pay part of its budget needs is a good plan. Having the state take over and run it is not a wise idea. The state department of corrections has more than enough problems of its own. The camp needs to be close to where its residents live, not farmed out somewhere across the state.
We need the boot camp. Not only should you back away from your comments on having the state run it, but you should not endorse any candidate for office who is not committed to keep the boot camp doing its outstanding job.
