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IDOC pauses intakes from county jails after outbreaks

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* Press release…

The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) is temporarily pausing intakes from county jails as it responds to COVID-19 outbreaks at correctional facilities. These facilities include the Graham, Logan, Menard and Northern Reception and Classification Centers where county jails transport new admissions. County sheriffs were notified Tuesday afternoon as part of IDOC’s continued commitment to provide them with frequent, transparent communication.

IDOC is utilizing space normally reserved for new admissions to safely quarantine and isolate incarcerated individuals who have been exposed or tested positive for COVID-19. The Department will continue accepting individuals from county jails who are scheduled to be released from custody the same day they are transferred. Individual requests for intakes due to special circumstances, such as medical or safety concerns, will be considered. When COVID-19 cases decline, IDOC expects space to become available for county jail intakes.

“Congregate living facilities present unique infection control challenges due to the lack of quarantine and isolation space,” said IDOC Director Rob Jeffreys. “The Department recognizes the hardships county jails face when we cannot accept admissions, but we must take aggressive action to keep the community and everyone who lives and works in our facilities safe and healthy,” said IDOC Director Rob Jeffreys.

IDOC is continuing its aggressive response to COVID-19 across facilities. All staff and individuals in custody are temperature checked, masked, symptom screened and routinely tested. 75% of the incarcerated population and 66% of staff are vaccinated against COVID-19. Additionally, thousands of individuals in custody and staff have taken advantage of multiple on-site opportunities to receive a booster shot. IDOC continues to work closely with the Illinois Department of Public Health, infectious disease consultants, and correctional agencies across the nation to ensure best practices and protect the health and safety of those inside its facilities.

…Adding… Clinton Journal…

Five inmates at the DeWitt County Jail are being treated for Covid-19, said DeWitt County Sheriff Mike Walker. […]

The DeWitt County Jail has been housing Champaign County inmates since last August when Covid numbers were lower, Walker said, And, he suspects transporting the inmates back and forth for court hearings may be how the most recent infections originated.

DeWitt County is paid as much as $40,000 per month to house the neighboring inmates, however, due to this most recent outbreak, Walker is making arrangements to return them to Champaign County.

“The money is nice but we are doing what we need to do to keep our people safe.”

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 5:00 pm

Comments

I did not know they had started back up. ::Cymbal Crash::

Comment by 33rd ward Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 5:57 pm
That’s because they basically didn’t. Ha.

Comment by El Duderino Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 8:00 pm
More abdication by IDOC — just put it on the sheriffs and counties backs. How many facilities does IDOC have that aren’t in use that could easily be opened for receiving? Even if it was just one facility for the entire state. Open up one receiving facility and quarantine every inmate that comes in. They already quarantine them anyways so why not just have all receiving at one facility, kept away from general population inmates. It’s simple and they could do it — they just choose not to.

I’ve never understood how the state with the stroke of a pen just shifts their burden to the sheriffs. This administration would close all the prisons if they could. COVID positive inmates are not a new problem — IDOC just wants to make the counties deal with it instead of themselves. The election can’t come soon enough.

Comment by Deputy Doright Tuesday, Jan 11, 22 @ 10:04 pm
Doright is Halfright
DOC should Not Make Counties Bear the Burden

But wrong to think going to change by Election
Misguided wishful thinking is all

Sheriff’s Association once strong voice is No More. Sadly, They Self Destructed

Solution is Cooperation - But how to get it is beyond me

Comment by Red Ketcher Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 5:53 am
DeWitt County is returning inmates to Champaign County because of an outbreak-

“The DeWitt County Jail has been housing Champaign County inmates since last August when Covid numbers were lower, Walker said, And, he suspects transporting the inmates back and forth for court hearings may be how the most recent infections originated.

DeWitt County is paid as much as $40,000 per month to house the neighboring inmates, however, due to this most recent outbreak, Walker is making arrangements to return them to Champaign County.

‘The money is nice but we are doing what we need to do to keep our people safe.’”

https://theclintonjournal.com/article/five-county-inmates-test-positive-for-covid?fbclid=IwAR1B9cs-FKb3jmriSrismXYfieBUgfCNo48wZcDl7wa-kOw8rCtfxC7r9m4

Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 10:30 am
Deputy “Doright” IDOC doesn’t have extra “space.” It has even re-opened and is using facilities that are in such poor shape they were slated to be torn down. The counties are the ones at fault here. They have to stop freely incarcerating everyone and the kitchen sink. It’s never helped us for decades now; just made prisons our second largest budget cost, but we are no safer. Politicians capitalize on “crime” every election but they and counties don’t effectively eliminate the sources that create it. They all just want to convict and then forget about those people by sending them away.

Comment by Larry Saunders Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:49 pm
@Larry Saunders

Can you please explain to me what the counties have done? Are you advocating that counties (I assume you mean law enforcement as a whole) should start turning a blind eye to crime?

Please tell me what facilities IDOC has reopened.

Comment by Deputy Doright Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 5:01 pm