Legislators blast governor's plan to close Stateville's maximum...

A coalition of state legislators on Wednesday blasted Gov. Rod Blagojevich 's plan to close a section of Stateville Correctional Center, calling it a "misguided and shortsighted" attempt to save money at the ...

[Human Nature]

It would NOT cost $100 million to keep Stateville running. I've seen the budget and it's completely inflated. They've put millions of dollars on things that don't even exist! It's kinda what they do with tax-payer dollars everyday.

Blagojevich is upset because a once booming prison industry has fallen flat on its face. The business of building prison real estate like the rest of the real estate market is in a decline. Now, he's looking for the closest exit strategy.

Closing Stateville would mean two- gaping abandoned prisons for Joliet, which has substantially grown, economically, in the past several years.

While everyone is so upset about wasting Thompson tax dollars. Here's something to be even more upset about: THEY SHOULD HAVE NEVER BUILT IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

50-million into Stateville could have it running like Thompson. Safer, more secure, close to family, decrease recidivism, increase programs for reentry. But, instead, in-the-pocket-developers thought it would be a bright idea to spend $140 million building a prison hundreds of miles away from scratch.

[David Ormsby]

Stateville's maximum security facility should be closed according to the prison reform and watch dog organization the John Howard Association.

In statement issued on February 28, they said "... every possible consideration must be made to reduce difficulties for the staff..." These guys know what they're talking about.

http://www.john-howard.org/

[Paul]

It would be better to close the prison down. Will County doesn't need a jail to be so close to the new communities springing up. Western Illinois needs the jobs more than keep supporting overpaid workers in Will County.

[concerned]

If you have never been inside the ghetto prison, you should not comment on the closing. Some of the areas flood and inmate are living for weeks in standing water, with infestations all around them. The plumbing is atrocious and Don't tell me they are prisoners, there is such a thing as cruel treatment and unless your sentence read 30 Years + cruel treatment you do not belong in Stateville

[Carl Spackler]

concerned wrote:

If you have never been inside the ghetto prison, you should not comment on the closing. Some of the areas flood and inmate are living for weeks in standing water, with infestations all around them. The plumbing is atrocious and Don't tell me they are prisoners, there is such a thing as cruel treatment and unless your sentence read 30 Years + cruel treatment you do not belong in Stateville

Come on guys! How can they watch cable tv if thier cables get wet? Yeah God forbid they should live like the rest of us. Maybe they could work cleaning up the water like the rest of us do when our houses flood.

[Human Nature]

David Ormsby wrote:

Stateville's maximum security facility should be closed according to the prison reform and watch dog organization the John Howard Association.
In statement issued on February 28, they said "... every possible consideration must be made to reduce difficulties for the staff..." These guys know what they're talking about.
http://www.john-howard.org/

John Howard is a political figure and they play political games just like all the rest. They lie in bed with DOC while at the same time claiming they are "advocates for inmates." Check their effective history. JH is understaffed and can't handle what they're into. There word means squat.

[Calvin]

Human Nature wrote:

<quoted text>
John Howard is a political figure and they play political games just like all the rest. They lie in bed with DOC while at the same time claiming they are "advocates for inmates." Check their effective history. JH is understaffed and can't handle what they're into. There word means squat.

I was pretty impressed with the John Hopkins report. What caught my eye was that they were critical on both sides regarding the closing of Stateville and opening Thomson. If you worked at Stateville you would understand why it needs to be closed. A facility needs to be in working order for both staff and inmates.