The Pritzker Administration’s proposal to close several Downstate correctional facilities raises serious concerns about the future of public safety, rural state employees and jobs, and the impact on surrounding communities. Upcoming public hearings will give employees, local officials and residents an opportunity to weigh in.
The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA) will hold hearings on the proposed closures of the DuQuoin Impact Program October 21 (today) in DuQuoin; Greene County Work Camp on October 22 in White Hall; and Clayton Work Camp on October 22 in Camp Point.
The Illinois Department of Corrections announced plans in August to phase out these facilities, along with the Dixon Springs Structured Impact Program, citing its “mission to promote public safety and rehabilitation.”
Under state law, proposed closures of facilities that serve as the primary workplace for at least 25 state employees must undergo a formal review. For IDOC prisons and work camps, that process requires CGFA to hold public hearings and issue an advisory opinion. The Commission also expects to hold a final hearing in Springfield during the first week of Veto Session to vote on its recommendations.
I am concerned about the administration’s continued push to close or phase out state facilities serving Downstate Illinois. These decisions affect more than buildings. They affect public safety logistics; employees supporting their families; businesses that built up to support these state employees and facilities; and communities that have relied on these operations for decades. We have seen this process for state facilities done in the past for political leverage purposes, including at Dixon’s Jack Mabley center here in our own district. As such, I always keep a close eye on the why and how of such executive actions.
These proposals follow plans to close and relocate Logan Correctional Center and significant reductions at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in southern Illinois. We need accountability and a clear explanation of how these changes will affect public safety and the communities involved. The public hearings are part of that process.
I encourage anyone affected by these proposed closures to participate in the hearings and make your thoughts heard. You can submit written comments or register to provide oral testimony here.