SR1004 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1004 LRB097 23535 RLC 72530 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Corrections is required by law to house inmates committed to State prison; and

WHEREAS, Various trends and factors, including population increases, sentencing laws, and recidivism rates have created circumstances in which the Illinois Department of Corrections is now required to house a record number of inmates in the prison system, with a total inmate population currently more than 48,000 inmates in a system designed for 33,700 inmates; and

WHEREAS, Due to the record number of inmates currently housed in prison in Illinois, several facilities are now at or above maximum operational capacity, requiring the Illinois Department of Corrections to house inmates in conditions that pose substantial safety risks, namely, prison areas never designed or intended for inmate housing, including, but not limited to, common areas such as prison gymnasiums, dayrooms, and program rooms; and

WHEREAS, Despite an overcrowded and understaffed prison system, the Governor has announced the closure of several facilities, including Tamms, Dwight and several Adult Transition Centers, as well as brokered the sale of the unused Thomson Correctional Center; and

WHEREAS, Overcrowded, understaffed prisons with inadequate facilities and work/treatment programs are a serious threat to staff, inmates and the citizens of this State; and

WHEREAS, The staff reductions, facility closures, and placement of dangerous inmates into medium security prisons has led to a rise in inmate violence; and

WHEREAS, The Governor's current policy has resulted in increased gang organization by the Latin Kings, Gangster Disciples and other well-known gangs; and

WHEREAS, Overcrowded prison conditions are counter-productive to the goals of imprisonment in this State; and

WHEREAS, The Governor and Director of Corrections have failed to take action in this crisis; and

WHEREAS, Recent media reports indicate that the Illinois Department of Corrections has been understaffed and overcrowded for years, and the problem has only been made worse by an inept and even, in some cases, corrupt Illinois Department of Corrections administrative team; and

WHEREAS, The Governor has failed to respond to serious allegations against senior officials within the Illinois Department of Corrections; and

WHEREAS, These issues could be addressed by replacing senior agency officials, including the Director, Executive Chief, Deputy Chief of Operations and Southern Illinois Deputy Director; and

WHEREAS, The continued lack of transparency and lack of control by the Governor creates serious public safety concerns and allows for an environment of corruption; and

WHEREAS, The Governor's planned closures will result in a loss of more than 1,000 jobs; and

WHEREAS, Lawmakers provided funding for the facilities in the budget but this funding was later vetoed by the Governor; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Senate Appropriations Committees shall jointly review the misconduct and mismanagement in the Illinois Department of Corrections; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Corrections and any other State agency, entity, or person that may have information relevant to this investigation cooperate fully and promptly with the Committee's investigation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Corrections develop comprehensive plans to ensure that the public is informed about the operations of all correctional and detention facilities within its jurisdiction and that those facilities are accountable to the General Assembly, the public, and the media; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Governor seek the immediate resignations of the Director, Executive Chief, Deputy Chief of Operations and Southern Illinois Deputy Director, then begin an immediate internal investigation into the negligence and corruption within the Illinois Department of Corrections; and be it further

RESOLVED, That in order to immediately mitigate the severe overcrowding within the Illinois Department of Corrections facilities the Governor not close any of the proposed facilities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Senate Appropriations Committees jointly review the physical condition, the size and composition of the inmate population, and any specific and immediate needs of each correctional facility managed or operated by the State; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Senate Appropriations Committees jointly hold public hearings, take testimony, and request detailed and specific information relating to the inmate population and staff of any individual correctional facility managed or operated by the State, as well as the State's prison system at large; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Senate Appropriations Committees' joint review shall include, but not be limited to, the following areas:

(1) a detailed composition of current prison populations and their respective requirements for effective reform;

(2) the geographical location of inmate families and their respective needs;

(3) employee locations, staffing levels, and the demands being placed on prison staffs within the State;

(4) the physical condition of each of the State's correctional facilities and their respective needs;

(5) the potential necessity for a geriatric correctional facility;

(6) criminal sentencing guidelines;

(7) the economic impact created, at both the State and local levels, by each of the State's correctional facilities, with special attention given to any correctional facility recommended to be immediately or abruptly decommissioned and their respective populations moved throughout the remainder of the State's prison system; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Senate Appropriations Committees shall jointly issue their findings and recommendations in a final report outlining a long-term objective plan for the State's correctional facilities, the populations they hold, and the workforce needed to best protect the citizens of Illinois, by September 1, 2013.