Cook County Jail Will House Transgender Detainees Based On Gender Identity

Story by Kate Sosin, courtesy of the Windy City Times

In a Windy City Times exclusive, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart announced that Cook County Jail has instituted a policy for housing transgender detainees based on their gender identity, rather than birth sex.

The policy became effective on March 21. It is thought to be the first of its kind in the United States.

"Particularly with this issue, we wanted to do it right," Dart told Windy City Times, adding that "medical and sociological" concerns for transgender people "even superseded security issues."

The seven-page policy mandates that transgender detainees be allowed to consult with a "Gender Identity Panel" of physicians and therapists before being placed into male or female housing. It also directs correctional staff to allow transgender people to wear clothing/ own hygiene products consistent with their gender identity. Further, it requires that corrections staff, physicians, and therapists undergo gender-related sensitivity training administered by the sheriff's department. The policy is a far cry from old standards, which, officials said, were nonexistent.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[Hontas Farmer]

04:36 PM on 04/22/2011

I am a transgender (bigendered) person who lives in Cook county. I have spent part of my life living fully as a woman and part living fully as a man and I realized a year or so ago I am sort of in the middle. Neither gender desgination fully fits me.

Many transgender people, I would say MOST transgender people fit that description. The classic MTF case would be the transwoman who never has the operation yet appears to be female in every way aside from having SRS. They keep their penis.

Clearly such people will be safe from rape if housed with women. However they would be open to all sorts of trouble from genetic women. They could be raped by the women (Yes a woman can force an erection on a male via oral sex.) They could be beaten by a gang of women who perhaps don't want them around. ETC.

I fear that mr Dart may have consulted with transactivist who realistically do not have to fear going to jail. People who are 1.) white, 2.) more or less hetero-cross dressers, 3.) relatively wealthy, 4.) have some sort of a fantasy idea of being accepted as a woman by women. (Not knowing how subtlety and even directly cruel and vicious women can be to each other.)

If he had asked me I would have said to segregate us from both genders.

[SallieParker]

04:38 PM on 04/08/2011

I don't understand how the jails could tell. I mean, if there's a guy dressed as a woman, that's one thing, but surely these people have been reassigned by this time, no?

[Sadie Ryanne Vashti]

12:12 PM on 04/08/2011

This article is wrong about one thing.... this isn't the first policy of it's kind. We've had a policy like this in the District of Columbia for a long time now, and we had to fight very hard to get it.

I'm not 100% sure about Cook Co's policy, but I do know that in DC, trans folks still have the option of being housed with their assigned-at-birth sex, if that's where they feel safer. (So a trans man could opt to be housed in the female unit.) See: http://dctranscoalition.org

[mikey09]

10:18 AM on 04/08/2011

Well, that ups costs....not sure I understand the Hygeine products issue, its not like a male to female needs sanitary napkins is it??

[Mirabai305]

10:32 PM on 04/07/2011

I have serious concerns about the safety of ftm people in this setting.

[dbrett480]

11:43 PM on 04/07/2011

No kidding. They should be kept separate from both male and female mainline inmates.

[bkerensa]

09:59 PM on 04/07/2011

If I ever go to Jail in Cook County I am totally claiming to be a woman.

[herpaderp]

10:49 PM on 04/07/2011

Hence the reason behind a panel that must approve the claims to gender identification.

[bkerensa]

03:06 AM on 04/08/2011

Right and when they deny that I'm a woman I will sue them for discrimination :P

[Genders]

09:37 PM on 04/07/2011

We male lesbians love this new rule....

[MMRDO]

09:04 PM on 04/07/2011

Bad idea, this is just going to cause more assaults, you have to segregate them from the general population, they always get picked on.

[pickle541]

10:17 PM on 04/07/2011

Seems to work for MTF persons, but not for FTM persons. Maybe this should be more a case by case basis.

[Parade Keegan]

08:36 PM on 04/07/2011

This is an enlightened and inclusive policy for Cook County Jail. Weird isn't it that a jail can be more concerned about people than some churches.

[dbrett480]

07:53 PM on 04/07/2011

Bad idea. I've worked in a correctional facility and know that transgender inmates need to be housed separately as they can be frequent victims of abuse and crimes while in custody (from both genders). They also have much higher rates of suicide and need more frequent visits from medical staff. This requires a higher level of supervision than can be provided in mainline housing.

It saddens me that a Sheriff believes that inmates' sociological well-being is more important than facility security.

[cyoohoos]

08:28 PM on 04/07/2011

I agree, but maybe they should try to stay out of jail?

[MexiChick67]

08:44 PM on 04/07/2011

Many are put in jail for pro sti tu tion, since many can't get employment. It's sad.

[Hontas Farmer]

04:50 PM on 04/22/2011

I couldn't agree with this more as a transgender (bigender or two-spirit) person myself. It sounds to me like he only consulted activist who have a certain perspective on transgender life and who quite frankly are unlikely to ever be in jail.

[Syl 13]

07:51 PM on 04/07/2011

Well, it's a start. Jail is bad enough if you're straight and cisgender.

[RedBirdy]

07:43 PM on 04/07/2011

that is awesome. can't wait for the rest of the country to wake up!

[HerrMonk]

07:34 PM on 04/07/2011

Nice.

I'm totally becoming a woman if I ever go to prison.

[Robert Nix]

07:52 PM on 04/07/2011

Not much of a change for you is it.

[pickle541]

07:58 PM on 04/07/2011

I've read your other comments about transgender people... the nicest I'll say is that you play with irony.

[emmeaki]

07:24 PM on 04/07/2011

Cool! Now let the rest of the country catch up!

[mightygoodman]

07:44 PM on 04/07/2011

Seems like T's in Chicago's jail system are more protected than those one the streets!

[dbrett480]

08:23 PM on 04/07/2011

I don't think so. If the transgender population is placed in mainline housing they will be subjected to more crimes and assault than if they were separated. They are also at higher risk for suicide and placement in mainline housing will lower the amount of supervision that correctional and medical staff has over them. This is one of those proposals that sound nice, but will actually impact their safety and security in a negative way.

[desertsapien]

11:10 PM on 04/07/2011

If your on the street you can run - in jail there is no where to run.

[mightygoodman]

07:44 PM on 04/07/2011

ON not ONE ^

[teshkie]

07:12 PM on 04/07/2011

a step in the right direction! The gender-sensitivity training is a nice touch.