Rauner visits state prison
Friday, Feb 13, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The governor did something this week that his predecessor never did…
After announcing a commission to scrutinize sentencing policy in Illinois, Rauner visited a prison: Logan Correctional Center, a women’s facility in Lincoln, about a half-hour north of Springfield.
It’s something his predecessor, former Gov. Pat Quinn, never did — even as an independent watchdog reported flooding, roof leaks and other problems with aging facilities.
Despite requests from activists, Quinn said he had a lot to do, and trusted his staff to manage the prisons.
I didn’t see this on the governor’s public schedule and the Lincoln Courier didn’t even have a story about the tour. That may be a good thing. He’s gathering info rather than seeking an easy press pop. The governor did tweet about it, though…
- Ravenswood Right Winger - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 10:59 am:
Good for him! Hopefully he met with IDOC personnel and got a true feel for their morale and safety concerns.
- MrJM - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:00 am:
Don’t Illinois governors usually go to federal prison?
– MrJM
- Dirty Red - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:03 am:
A very big tip of the hat to the Governor and his staff. I didn’t get to post in the “say one nice thing” post before comments closed, but this Governor appears to be taking to heart advice about traveling the state and getting to know the less populated areas. (Although I guess in this particular case, OVERLY populated areas, too.)
- Been There - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:07 am:
===former Gov. Pat Quinn, never did ===
Well, in his defense, he probably would have had to deal with all the jokes about the string of governors who went to prison.
- Juvenal - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:08 am:
I thought it was illegal to take a mobile phone into a prison? Aren’t they considered contraband?
- A guy - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:10 am:
Juv, is there even a point to your silly question?
- OneMan - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:16 am:
Governing by walking around…
Will be interesting to see how that plays out.
- Old Shepherd - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:19 am:
In October 1952, Gov. Adlai Stevenson left the Presidential campaign trail to travel to Menard Correctional Center to personally intervene in a prison riot that had been going on for 5 days. To me, it seems to be a no-brainer that governors should visit prisons and other state facilities on a fairly regular basis. Kudos to Gov. Rauner on this one.
- Quizzical - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:21 am:
Good for him. I had a chance to visit once and I’d recommend it for anybody. It gave me perspective than no reading or TV show could provide.
I hope the gov. came out with some sympathy for the guards, cooks and barbers who work for IDOC.
- Anonymous - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:29 am:
Nice of him to include a picture of the overpaid cooks he cited in one of his pre-SOS slides.
- D.P.Gumby - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:30 am:
Ah, a women’s prison…thought he might be measuring for curtains…
- Jocko - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:31 am:
I’m with OneMan on this one! Enough with the “meet and greets” and make with the plans. At the rate he’s traveling, Rauner will have to pull an “all nighter” on February 17th.
Also, whoever’s managing his twitter account needs to learn that less is more.
- Jim'e' - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:35 am:
I agree with you Quizzical; same goes for me. Now what we need is for alot of the laws that sent people for nonviolent crimes to be restructured. There is absolutily no reason some of these nonviolent types (drug possession) should be in prison, while those that commit violent crimes (young males)seem to receive shorter sentences. Anyway that’s what the corrections guys in the trenches told me
- Tsavo - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:36 am:
Quizzical,
I agree with you 100%. As a State Police Cadet our class was required to go on a tour to familiarize ourselves should we be activated for a prison riot. After visiting Pontiac prison, I have the utmost respect for those who work in corrections.
The men and women who go into that environment everyday deserve every penny they are paid.
- walker - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:40 am:
Good. Always good to see your operation with your own eyes. Every little bit of intelligence helps.
- foster brooks - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:44 am:
any cheering from the crowd?
- proudstatetrooper - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:49 am:
I understand all the IDOC Brass was there and refused to let the AFSCME Rep for the Correctional Officers discuss staff assaults which happen all the time there. The IDOC Chief of Staff was present for the walk around to ensure no one spoke negatively about IDOC policies and operations. These people need to go. Clown show continues at IDOC.
- Mason born - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 11:52 am:
The Gov really needs to visit Menards if he wants to see what’s going on. Logan was built in 1978. Menards opened in 1878. If you really want to see the challenges go there.
- Wordslinger - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 12:05 pm:
Good on Rauner. He should get and about, often.
Being governor is a lot more than just dealing with the legislature. It’s a big time executive job and he needs to see what’s going on.
- Nick Naylor - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 12:08 pm:
=even as an independent watchdog reported flooding, roof leaks and other problems with aging facilities.=
Why is it that leaking roofs and flooding at state facilities is the legacy of former Gov. Quinn (Governor’s mansion comes to mind)?
- How Ironic - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 12:14 pm:
Did he receive a standing ovation there as well?
- the Patriot - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 12:52 pm:
The state’s newest prison is currently mothballed. They need to reopen Tamms to relieve pressure. I am a believer in the purpose of the Supermax and guards on both side of the political line will tell you it works.
Tamms is not nearly as inefficient as Quinn made it out to be. The per inmate cost was inflated because they were operating it at 40%. If it was populated to 100%, the per in mate cost is easily justified.
C’mon down Bruce, I’ll give you the tour.
- anon - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 1:02 pm:
Though I didn’t vote for him, I give Rauner credit for attempting to reform the prison system. When he does good, I will give him credit.
- anon - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 1:04 pm:
This reminds me of an old joke heard in Springfield. Two inmates were having lunch in the prison cafeteria. One says to the other, “the food here was much better when you were governor.”
- Black Ivy - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 1:24 pm:
Love it! Fly beneath the radar, Governor, where even Rich Miller can’t find you…
- Pot calling kettle - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 1:38 pm:
After the visit, Governor Rauner commented on how olite the inmates were. “They were all saying ‘pardon me’ when they were not in my way or anything. I thought that was nice.”
- Southern illinoisan - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 1:53 pm:
Good for Gov Rauner for at least visiting an IDOC facility. That’s more than the last 2 governors would do. Considering it is an agency with thousands of employees and a 1.3 billion dollar budget, one would think that it deserves gubernatorial attention. Rauner would do well to dump Godinez and most of the current IDOC administration to chart a new course. The curent admin is still entrenched in the Quinn failed philosophy!
- Left Leaner - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 2:15 pm:
Good optics here. Maybe he/his team is learning.
- Cheswick - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 2:33 pm:
Caption, photo on the right: Governor Rauner visits the green mile.
- downstate commissioner - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 2:37 pm:
He may not have talked to too many guards, but at least he took the time to make a quick tour; nothing wrong with that, and he may have seen something that will do some goood.
- SICK OF IT - Friday, Feb 13, 15 @ 3:48 pm:
The Murray Parents’ Association asked Governor Quinn thousands of times in emails, letters, phones calls to visit Murray Center in Centralia and he never did……seeing is believing….if he had seen the residents he would have realized the lies his so called “advisors” were telling him about these very fragile individuals being able to live in the “community”…..Rauner has visited and that made the difference.