A federal judge has ordered Illinois to relocate most of the inmates from its century-old Stateville Correctional Center within two months due to severe structural deficiencies. The Illinois Department of Corrections has confirmed that Judge Andrea R. Wood's mandate aligns with its ongoing plans to replace the facility. They intend to rebuild Stateville on its current site in Crest Hill, located 41 miles southwest of Chicago, and potentially reconstruct the deteriorating Logan prison for women on the same campus.
Judge Wood's ruling, enacted on Friday, highlighted imminent dangers such as crumbling concrete and unsanitary conditions; it mandates the 400-inmate prison's closure by September 30. A lawsuit that spurred the ruling argued the facility poses significant health risks, including bird excrement-covered surfaces and contaminated water. "The court is requiring the department to accomplish what it has publicly reported and recommended it would do," Wood asserted.
Governor JB Pritzker's administration had outlined plans in March to utilize $900 million for the overhaul, set to span five years. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 (AFSCME), representing the bulk of prison staff, opposed the immediate shutdown. AFSCME argues that closing the prisons before new ones are built will disrupt families and compromise staff cohesion. "We are examining all options to prevent that disruption in response to this precipitous ruling," stated AFSCME spokesperson Anders Lindall. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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