Illinois Prisons Overcrowded

[Forevermah]

Illinois Prisons Overcrowded

By Fanna Haile-Selassie

Story Created: Aug 25, 2011 CDT


WSIL-TV -- Some area lawmakers are sounding the alarm about prison overcrowding. It's a problem that could get worse as roughly 1,000 prison guards become eligible for retirement within the next year.

Just take a look at some of the ratios of inmates to staff in area prisons. During the evening, Big Muddy prison has an inmate to staff ratio of 28:1, Pinckneyville is 25:1, and Shawnee is 24:1. Senator John O. Jones says he wants to see staffing levels down to 12:1, which is a big jump from where some of these prisons are now.

Illinois state legislatures have spent many years tightening up laws to keep criminals off the street. Now, the state is having trouble housing those criminals.

"We have almost 50,000 inmates in a system designed for about 33,000," notes John Maki, the executive director of the John Howard Association.

And it's growing worse. According to a state prison monitoring group, there's now about 4,000 more inmates in the system since last year. The increase came after Governor Pat Quinn did away with the Meritorious Good Time program that released prisoners early for good behavior.

"In prisons, it's not just double-bunking. We're seeing inmates being placed in the gymnasium, in the infirmary, place which inmates really shouldn't be housed," says Maki.

As the state packs in more inmates, staffing levels are starting to become a concern. So much so, senators John O. Jones and Shane Cultra are taking on the issue.

"What really concerns me is there's no cadet classes scheduled, and this fiscal year, they have a potential of having a thousand guards retire. So there's nobody to replace these people," explains Cultra.

The two lawmakers say they want to let the public in on the problem, in hopes of building pressure on the governor. While they say they will work with Governor Quinn to find a solution, they believe he has to take the lead before Illinois has an even bigger mess on its hands.

In May, the United States Supreme Court told California it had to reduce its prison population by roughly 33,000 inmates within the next two years, either by moving them into local jails or letting them go.

http://www.wsiltv.com/news/local/Illinois-Prisons-Overcrowded-128418123.html

Watch the video at the link above.

[Jackster]

I am loving these articles! Thank you for posting them. I agree the need to keep the pressure on Quinn!

[RT]

The only pressure that Quinn is going to understand is when a REAL candidate for his job comes forth with a plan that stops the waste of taxpayer dollars by keeping non violent inmates in prison. 1000 CO's are set to retire in the next year. He has no plan to replace them. These prisons do not run themselves. Quinn has his head so far up his ass it is pitiful. The man is a jerk and I for one will not vote for him again. Once is enough!


Rick

[Angela]

AMEN... AMEN...   AMEN.......      

[matetoo]

I concur!! The only thing I can figure out is he has some plan and he will unveil it as a tool to make himself look like a great GOV......right. :)

[Marks_guy]

I concur!! The only thing I can figure out is he has some plan and he will unveil it as a tool to make himself look like a great GOV......right. :)

You know, that is a real possibility. Politicians like to use our pains and struggles as tools for their popularity contest. Sometimes I wonder if there is a secret class they take that teaches the art of waiting until the last possible moment before acting.

[snshess]

Agree....Agree....Agree....with everyone.  I to feel he will wait until the last minute and then he will be on cloud 9 with everyone.

[matetoo]

You know I am a very fortunate and blessed I have had a wonderful life and family. And not until I met my future husband before he was sentenced for 3 yrs for not showing up to jail due to illiness and driving sober on a supended DL did I even pay attention to the prison system. It had never effected me or any family members so I did notice the system as I see it now. I now speak of the breakdown of the IL Prison system to all I know and I have a son in law that is a police officer and he even agrees with me and the injustice to my fiance' and the harshness of the sentence. This is his first time in the system and he went in first of this yr and will be released max time left 5 months with out MGT. He has already graduated with A+ in one college class. But the money wasted by the state with his and thousands of others with not violent and victimless crimes is beyond most Americans thoughts just like it was mine at one time. I know there has to be a better way............

[jcruz1104]

Matetoo kinda funny you say that cuz i have gone thru this before :( but i don't ever remember it being this bad, I have been talking to people like you that have (had) no idea, and they are discusted about the whole thing..

Lets just home when the "powers may be" meet, there is some time of a program and they get it  put in place soon.

[Mjdrg]

I hope we see more of these articles come out across the state as Illinois congress heads back into session this fall! Maybe we have a chance of seeing some of the lawmakers come on board to at least push these issues into Quinn's face. While I do agree he will only do anything when it suits him, maybe negative press from not only the public but the lawmakers as well will force those blinders off a little more! Hopefully these senators will pick up those bills that got left behind last session and get them through!

[RT]

We finally got a sponsor at the last minute. But Quinn told Madigan not to move on them or he would veto it. The point is moot until the Big Baby gets his way.

Rick

[Mjdrg]

Ugh, I think Quinn has forgotten he works FOR the people and the state of Illinois - not the other way around! I hope she ignores him!

[JDsMom]

The best we can do is keep writing senators John O. Jones and Shane Cultra , and supporting their efforts. Quinn can ignore it or do somethng about it. But the People of this state will not ignore this issue when it comes time for elections.

[RT]

Then you get stories the this one.....

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-armed-and-extremely-dangerous-suspect-sought-in-2-south-suburban-shootings-20110826,0,290441.story?track=rss

Makes the whole program look bad.


Rick

[Forevermah]

Exactly RT, it's because of a few, like this guy that caused the program to be halted, but you are always going to have a few and  not right to punish everyone!
 
 One of the things I think they need to look at very closely, is how many times someone has been inside and the reasons and maybe take the privilege of any early release away!  I hope they are working on a solution, but will Quinn have the courage to implement a new program under his watch??

[RT]

Where is there a Like button when you need one? They are like cops, when you do not need them, they are all over!   


Rick

[JDsMom]

 
Senator John O. Jones (R) - Previous General Assembly (94th)
54th District
  
Springfield Office:
Senator 54th District
103D Capitol Building
Springfield, IL   62706  
(217) 782-0471
  
 
District Office:
2929 Broadway
P.O. Drawer 1787
Mt. Vernon, IL  62864  
(618) 242-9511
 johnojones@sbcglobal.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Senator Shane Cultra (R)
53rd District
  
Springfield Office:
Senator 53rd District
311 A Capitol Building
Springfield, IL   62706  
(217) 782-6597
  
 
District Office:
104 W. Lincoln Ave
Onarga, IL  60955  
(815) 268-4090
 
 Constituent e-mail: ShaneCultra53@yahoo.com


You can read more on this at :
http://jones.senategop.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=421:jones-a-cultra-issue-warning-on-chronic-idoc-security-understaffing&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=26

[mandyriguez]

violent crimes need to be looked at differently...not e1 should be getting good time. Seriously look at his record 4 times on weapons charges. It doesnt take a genius to figure out who should get the good time and who should have to serve every minute of the full sentence. I had a guy shoot my sons car and my house. It went thru the matress I slept on while I was sleeping. He got BOOT CAMP....really?! He got out last month and he had 2 priors of violent crimes.....there was deff a dummy in his sentencing!

[RT]

We can start with the judge who recommended him for Boot Camp. If he/she is a circuit court judge, they have to come up for retention every 4 years I think. Find out what the judges name, and I will tell you when their time is. If they do not receive 60% I think, they are not brought back to the bench. Word of mouth can do terrible things. Just look at some of the rumors that fly around the prisons!


Rick

[RT]

If I wasn't a criminal, I would run for Governor! 


Rick