AFSCME questions transfer of Thomson CC to federal government

Responding to news that Gov. Pat Quinn is considering the transfer of Thomson Correctional Center to federal control, AFSCME Council 31 executive director Henry Bayer issued the following statement to news outlets today:

"State government's first responsibility is to the people of Illinois-to keep dangerous felons off our streets, and to maintain safety, security and order in our prisons.

"The proposal to turn control of Thomson Correctional Center over to the federal government raises many questions about the ability of the Illinois Department of Corrections to house the state's population of maximum-security inmates.

"Thomson has some 200 beds now filled with minimum-security inmates. It also has 1,800 maximum-security beds that have never been opened-even though our state prison system is severely overcrowded, at approximately 135% capacity. The maximum-security facilities, which house the most dangerous inmates, are the most overcrowded part of the system.

"What's more, IDOC is now recommending the closure of Stateville Correctional Center, a maximum-security prison in Will County which houses some 1,500 max inmates. Without Thomson, there is nowhere in the system for a corresponding number of new maximum-security beds to be opened. Instead, under the IDOC plan, Stateville's maximum-security inmates would be moved to Lawrence Correctional Center, a medium-security prison which is already at capacity. In turn, Lawrence's current inmates would be moved to other medium security prisons-which are themselves either at or above capacity. 

"Bottom line, the IDOC plan to eliminate Thomson and Stateville will worsen the state system's overcrowding crisis at the same time that it turns some 2,000 beds over to the federal government.

"A statement from the governor's office says the federal Bureau of Prisons is considering the Thomson purchase because federal prisons are overcrowded. Apparently Governor Quinn is not aware of the fact that his own prison system right here in Illinois is severely overcrowded-and turning Thomson over to the federal government will actually make that overcrowding even worse.

"Before any consideration of turning Thomson over to the federal government, the governor should present a comprehensive plan detailing both the projected number of state prison inmates over the next five years, along with the projected capacity and security level of each facility it operates.

"The governor also has a responsibility to the staff hired to work at Thomson. These employees have been through eight years of fits and starts-being transferred to other prisons, recalled to Thomson and then transferred again-never sure whether they'll have a job or where they'll be living. The governor should secure a commitment from the Obama Administration that any employees working at Thomson now, as well as those hired to work there and transferred elsewhere, will be offered a position at the new federally-operated facility. And he should pledge that all Thomson employees who don't want to accept positions in the federal prison system will be offered positions at nearby IDOC facilities."