Section 2425.50  Religious Activities

a)         The Director or his or her designee shall confer with religious leaders or faith representatives on matters including, but not limited to, the following:

1)         Religious grievances filed by committed youth;

2)         Requests from committed youth for religious diets, non-traditional religious symbols, headgear, clothing and other religious items;

3)         Requests from committed youth for religious activities not currently offered at the youth center and for religious activities permitted under subsection (f);

4)         Requests from committed youth for relief from a work assignment or institutional program for specific religious reasons; and

5)         Issues involving training, screening and reimbursement of religious volunteers.

b)         Religious activities approved by the Chief Administrative Officer shall be conducted or supervised by a chaplain or religious program volunteer.

c)         The Chief Administrative Officer, after consultation with the youth center chaplain, shall regulate the time, place and way religious activities are conducted.  The Chief Administrative Officer may limit, restrict, discontinue or deny a religious activity based upon concerns regarding security, safety, rehabilitation, institutional order, space or resources.

d)         Nothing in this Part shall require the provision of group religious activities to committed youth in reception and classification centers, confinement areas or specialized housing units within the youth center, such as the hospital.

e)         Nothing in this Part shall require the Department to provide each separate religious group or sects within a group with a chaplain or with separate religious activities regardless of the size of the religious group or the extent of the demand for the activities.

f)         Committed youth shall be prohibited from assuming a position of authority or leadership over other committed youth.  This does not preclude committed youth from actively participating in religious activities in accordance with subsection (g).

g)         Religious activities for which religious program volunteers or chaplains of that particular faith are unavailable on a permanent or protracted basis may be permitted if the following conditions are satisfied:

1)         Attempts to locate and secure the services of religious leaders or faith representatives from the community were made but those persons either refused or were not approved to conduct religious activities;

2)         Security, program or chaplaincy staff are available to attend and supervise the religious activity;

3)         Written verification that attendance at existing religious activities does not satisfy the recognized tenets of the committed youth's faith is received;

4)         Written agreement by a chaplain, faith representative or recognized religious leader of that faith group to provide general oversight and guidance of the religious activity is received;

5)         The Director recommends approval; and

6)         The committed youth submits a copy of any proposed sermon or doctrinal interpretation to the Chief Administrative Officer or staff designated to supervise the religious activity for review and approval prior to delivery, based on safety and security concerns.

h)         The staff supervisor may call upon various committed youth to guide portions of the religious activity subject to safety and security concerns.

i)          Religious activities defined under subsection (g) shall be prohibited when based solely on the temporary or occasional unavailability of a chaplain or a religious program volunteer.

j)          The Chief Administrative Officer may limit, restrict or discontinue religious activities permitted under subsection (g) based upon concerns such as security, safety, rehabilitation, institutional order, space or resources and may require periodic rotation of committed youth permitted to guide portions of religious activities.

(Source:  Amended at 43 Ill. Reg. 14183, effective November 25, 2019)