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* The US House passed a budget today that includes money to buy the vacant Thomson prison. Trouble is, the cash is a drop in the bucket…
Earlier this year, the Obama administration asked for $170 million to purchase the vacant [Thomson] prison. But the request was reduced to $95 million, Traci Billingsley, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons said in an e-mail today.
“It still has to be considered in the Senate, and we remain hopeful that we will get the necessary funding,” she said.
The prison will be auctioned by the state later this month, but the government cannot legally accept anything less than its appraised value of $219.9 million. The bill now goes to the Senate, which may change the budget level. We’ll see.
And AFSCME restated its call to halt the sale altogether. From a press release…
The union that represents frontline employees in the Illinois Department of Corrections is calling on Governor Quinn to halt the scheduled auction of the Thomson Correctional Center.
“It would be a mistake to sell off Thomson when the Illinois prison system is so severely overcrowded,” said Henry Bayer, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31.
As of the end of November, there were 48,510 inmates in IDOC facilities—putting the prison system at 148% of rated capacity.
“That kind of overcrowding greatly increases inmate tensions and the potential for violence,” Bayer said. “The beds at Thomson are urgently needed to reduce the dangerous overcrowding in other IDOC facilities.”
“The prison population has increased by 3,000 inmates in just the past few months,” Bayer noted. “It doesn’t make sense to sell off Thomson at a time when the system is experiencing that kind of growth.”
Rule Number One: Nothing ever goes right here.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 1:40 pm
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Release all non-violent drug offenders with 12 months or less left on their sentence into parole, and split the money between hiring more parole agents, police and prosecutors AND balancing the state budget…starting with paying all the folks who provide services that reduce crime.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 1:48 pm
“Rule Number One: Nothing ever goes right here.”
Not so!
While I was driving to the train this morning, no fewer than 60% of the cars were on the correct side of the road.
Comment by MrJM Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 1:49 pm
Even if we reduced the total number of inmates state wide, to many of our prisons are falling apart. We need to use this prison now, not auction it away.
Comment by Ghost Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 1:49 pm
–“It still has to be considered in the Senate, and we remain hopeful that we will get the necessary funding,” she said.–
Paging Sen. Durbin. Let’s see that fastball.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 1:54 pm
At risk of repeating myself, when will Rep. Sacia be confirmed as head of IDOC?
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 1:56 pm
95 million would buy a lot of underwear.
Comment by Reality is Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 2:23 pm
The amount of non-violent drug offenders in prison is very, very low. Some states are different, but in Illinois, the drug offenders usually have rap sheets with various property and violent charges in their past. Otherwise they end up on probation.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 2:27 pm
It’s amazing how much gridlock and overall ineffectiveness there is at the federal and state government levels. This is a prime example. The state can’t find the money to open the prison and the feds want to low-ball a state on, of all things, a prison purchase. Really?! $95 million will buy you one decent fighter jet. This is an entire prison buidling that can be used for a number of purposes.
Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 2:47 pm
–This is an entire prison buidling that can be used for a number of purposes. –
Replacement for Gitmo, lol?
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 2:52 pm
Word, maybe. Maybe minimum. Or medium. Or maximum. Or a half-way institution. Anything! It’s just sitting there, so to speak. And I’m with YDD - just name Jim Sacia head of IDOC already.
Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 2:57 pm
I dont think we will be seeing another early release program any time soon. Its way too easy to exploit politically.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 3:07 pm
Who is going to exploit an early release program? Election is over, gang. Now it’s time to get to work, balance the budget and fix things.
Comment by soccermom Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 3:36 pm
I thought there was some resistance to opening Tompson due to the fact that the facility was not built right next to a currently operating prison. It would make sense that it would be the union making that case. Has that changed?
Comment by dupage dan Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 4:04 pm
@Anon -
nearly 1/4 of Illinois’ prison population is incarcerated for a non-violent drug offense: possession, manufacture or distribution.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 4:42 pm
@Yellow Dog Democrat
That’s what their current holding offense is. They have very long rap sheets with property and violent offenses on them. It’s not easy to get into IDOC for just having a drug offense without having a substantial criminal background. See here for example:
http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/AtAGlance/vol1_no3_Class4felonyoffenders.pdf
Comment by Anon Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 4:56 pm
@Anon4:56…please continue to post your important, fact based information on this board. there are too many people who look only at an offense and not at the entire record.
Comment by amalia Thursday, Dec 9, 10 @ 11:08 pm