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Lawmakers propose moratorium on prison closures
Advocate for comprehensive review of state’s correctional system
FOR
IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
May 8, 2008
Springfield, Ill. – It’s time to quit playing games with “roving
prison closures” and end the current environment of political gamesmanship
that surrounds prison site decisions, a group of Illinois lawmakers say.
In response, these legislators are advocating for a comprehensive review
of Illinois’ correctional facilities.
On May 8,
Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville), Deputy Senate
Republican Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont), State Senator Dan
Rutherford (R-Pontiac), and State Senator Gary Dahl (R-Granville) were
joined by State Representatives Frank Mautino (D-Spring Valley), Keith
Sommer (R-Morton) and Shane Cultra (R-Onarga), to introduce legislation
that would create a Correctional Facilities Panel charged with closely
examining the conditions at Illinois’ correctional centers. Until the
panel completes the review, a moratorium would be placed on all
correctional facility closures.
“We’ve had
‘roving prison closures’ for the last three years. The General Assembly
needs to place a moratorium on proposed correctional facility closures
until the state panel is able to critically review the Department of
Correction’s (DOC) procedures, and develop a more thorough understanding
of how the state’s correctional facilities are operating,” Radogno said.
“I speak from
experience. The City of Vandalia and Fayette County went through this
several years ago with a proposal to close the Vandalia Correctional
Center,” said Watson. “We cannot allow these decisions to be made without
thoughtful and practical long-term planning.”
Rutherford is
pushing for these reforms, noting that he is not aware of any objective
standard that the DOC followed to make decisions on correctional facility
closures.
The 53rd
District Senator explained that in early February, Gov. Rod Blagojevich
announced intentions to close the maximum security unit at the Stateville
Correctional Center in Joliet. However, on May 5, DOC representatives
revealed that the Stateville unit will remain open. It was then that
Rutherford learned of plans to close the Pontiac Correctional Center.
“The prison
closure announcements have come out of thin air. There have never been any
formal policies or economic studies that have ever occurred before a
closure announcement,” Rutherford said. “We want the current and future
governors to have formal plans before any facility closure takes place.
This legislation will allow us ample time to study all the variables that
need to be considered.”
“We owe the
people and families who are most affected by these closures a fair and
open process before any decisions are announced,” said Sommer. “The public
deserves a comprehensive report, which insures backroom politics are not
at play when a decision is made that affects so many lives.”
“It seems
logical to have a procedure in place that studies the potential
consequences of affected communities before a correctional center can be
closed,” Cultra said. “The current process of closing these facilities is
arbitrary and random, which this Administration has clearly taken
advantage of. At this point, I feel a moratorium on prison closures is
the only way to address this problem.”
“Potential
closing has a negative impact on the lives of people of Streator, LaSalle
County, and Livingston County,” said Mautino. “With so much at stake, I
believe we first need a rational plan before closing any facilities, and I
want to see that rational and careful steps are taken to protect
communities and employees from harm.”
Dahl whose
region contains several state facilities also voiced his support for the
moratorium. “It’s time to come up with a fair and proper way of reviewing
the conditions at our correctional facilities,” Dahl said. “I share the
concern of many across the state who feel partisanship is the driving
force behind many of the Governor’s policies regarding our prisons. This
proposal will take the partisanship out of the process, and provide for a
comprehensive and balanced review of our prison sites.”
House Bill
1235 creates a Correctional Facilities Panel composed of four legislators,
one appointed by each caucus leader, two correctional facility employees,
the Director of DOC or a designee, and two representatives from
organizations that have a thorough understanding of correctional
facilities.
The Panel
will be charged with reviewing the physical condition of the state’s
prisons, the size and composition of the inmate population, and any
specific needs of Illinois’ correctional facilities.
The Panel
will also access the geographical location of inmate families, employee
locations, staffing levels and the demands being placed on prison staff,
the physical condition of all correctional facilities, and the economic
impact the ongoing operation of correctional facilities has on the state,
with special attention being given to any facility that DOC has
recommended be decommissioned.
The Panel may
also hold public hearings, take testimony, and request detailed
information about the inmate population, correctional facility staff and
Illinois’ prison system at large. After a thorough review, the Panel will
be required to present its findings to the General Assembly, as well as a
long-term objective plan for the state’s correctional facilities, by
September 1, 2009.
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