Inmates housed at prisons that are set to close in Illinois are staying put for now. Illinois officials agreed Wednesday to stop the transfers until the union representing the corrections department employees can have a say in the process. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees requested a halt to the prisoner moves. The state and union will meet with an arbitrator Tuesday to discuss safety measures for closing the prisons and a judge will look at the progress next Friday.
This all stems from Governor Pat Quinn's plan to close seven facilities to save money. Those include: Tamms and Dwight Correctional Centers, halfway houses in southern Illinois, Decatur, and Chicago-- and the youth centers in Murphysboro and Joliet. There's been concerns about transferring dangerous inmates, security and overcrowding at other state prisons, including the East Moline Correctional facility
However, the moves will also impact youth centers. One of those centers already experiencing problems is in Kewanee. The Kewanee Youth Center is a medium security special treatment facility that houses young males who are sex offenders and or those who have mental health issues. However, the center recently took in 40 "general population" kids or kids that have committed lesser crimes from the St. Charles facility, while it was being upgraded. Union President Tod Williams said since then, there have been problems at the facility.
"When those youth came in from St. Charles our youth basically, we call it bucking up, had to show metal to the other youth that they were just as tough."
Williams said while his staff expects their kids to act up from time to time, this new "I'm tougher than you attitude" has led to more violence against not only other kids, but also the staff.
"We have had numerous staff assaults, where we have had staff punched teachers assaulted, urine thrown in their face."
Williams said if Joliet, the maximum security juvenile center, closes as planned, he's worried things could get even worse. However a spokesperson with the Juvenile Department of Justice said there should be nothing to worry about. Over crowding is not an issue because there are only 200 kids with room for 400. The spokesperson said Kewanee was also built to maximum-security standards when it opened and it can house youth with multiple security levels. There are also separate wings so the different populations of youth at Kewanee can be kept apart.
Meanwhile, Williams said while he still is very concerned about the closings, he is glad to see the state has stopped transfers for now so everything can be thought through.
"If we get maximum security youth in our facility and staff hasn't been trained to deal with it, no plan or procedures are in place, all of the sudden they are dropped off at your door, that's a disservice not only to the youth, but also to the staff."
