Illinois Prison Population Faces Increased Overcrowding

By aaroncynic in News on Nov 23, 2010 9:20PM

The Illinois prison population has hit record highs. The Chicago Tribune reports the population surged over this past year by 3,000 for a total of 49,000 inmates throughout the state. Both watchdog groups and corrections officers told the Trib the state hasn’t seen an overcrowding problem like this since the 1980’s.

In some Illinois prisons the overcrowding has gotten so bad that four inmates are housed in cells meant for two handicapped prisoners. Statesville Prison in Joliet places new inmates in a gym or the hospital. Overcrowding conditions lead to more dangerous fights between inmates and more assaults on guards. The first six months of this year saw an increase in assaults on staff by five a month, though assaults between inmates has declined.

A combination of state budgetary woes and Governor Quinn’s elimination of two release programs could be part of the problem. During the election cycle, Quinn suspended the controversial newer Meritorious Good Time Push program and a decade’s old Meritorious Good Time program. The latter reduced prison time by a few months for two thirds of the state’s inmates. The state’s budget problems make the construction of new prisons almost an impossibility. Gladyse Taylor, head of the Department of Corrections said there have been internal agency discussions, but no recommendations have been made.