Legislative Commission to study impact of Pontiac prison closure

-I appreciate Speaker Madigan requesting this study by the Commission,- Rutherford said. -It is a logical thing to do, especially for something with such magnitude on the entire corrections system and what could have a devastating economic impact on a small rural community. Decisions of public policy should be made objectively, not subjectively, and especially without political overtones.-

In addition, Speaker Madigan has requested the Economic and Fiscal Commission to review the Governor-s proposed reduction in pension payments and to verify the Governor-s proposed revenue enhancements.

With regards to corrections, the request specifically asks for the actual savings that would result from a proposal to: (1) close the Vandalia prison; (2) open the Thomson prison; (3) partially fund the Pontiac prison; and (4) reduce the funding to IYC-St. Charles. The request also states that the analysis should consider the effect of such proposals on the communities surrounding each prison.

Rutherford represents the communities that will be hit hard, economically, if PCC is closed. This is the latest facility threatened to be closed by Governor Blagojevich. Rutherford says there is no merit to back up the Administration-s actions.

-There was never a study done, no analysis of the impact of closing Pontiac Correctional Center,- said Rutherford. -The employees who work there and the communities became aware of the proposal in the dark of the night, hours before being voted upon in the Senate, the last night of the scheduled Session.-

Rutherford maintains that the Legislative Commission study will show what he has been saying all along - closing Pontiac will not result in cost saving for the State, will compound the pressure in an already crowded correctional system, and will greatly hurt the local economy.

-Pontiac may be old in history, but it is a refurbished and efficient component in the Illinois Correctional system. Since the mid-1990s, millions of dollars have been invested in Pontiac to make it a secure maximum security penitentiary,- Rutherford noted.

The primary function of PCC is to house the Department of Corrections- disciplinary segregation population. These are inmates whose violent and/or anti-social behavior necessitates they be kept separate from other prisoners.

The Senator emphasized, -In an effort to control the increased violence in the prisons of Illinois, PCC was converted to handle the most aggressive prisoners. Major improvements were made. Toilets, sinks, and beds in the segregation cells were inset in concrete. Cell bars were replaced with perforated steel panels. Cat walks were restructured to make them fully encased and allow sight lines to galleries with no blind spots. Food hatches were redesigned so as to eliminate the throwing of food or other items. With these changes, assaults have decreased by 60 percent.-

While other states are moving away from double-cell situations, Illinois- three maximum security prisons double-cell at rates of 37 percent at Pontiac, 87 percent at Stateville and 88 percent at Menard. -This is a danger not only to the guards and staff working in Pontiac, but to the inmates as well,- said Rutherford.

-Double-celling definitely impacts safety. There were four inmate deaths within the last nine months in Illinois corrections facilities - as many as in the previous five years. Three of the deaths were in maximum security facilities and were directly linked to double-celling. The solution is not to eliminate PCC but to open a facility that is already built, to help relive the pressure,- highlighted the Senator.

Additionally, Pontiac houses 94 inmates in its mental health unit and also contains specialized protective custody, condemned and orientation units.