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Report: ‘Abrupt’ prisoner transfers begin at Stateville

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Illinois

Jerrell Matthews has known for months that he’d be transferring from Stateville Correctional Center, a men’s maximum-security prison outside of Joliet where he’s lived for the last six years.

But he didn’t think he’d be relocating so far away.

Matthews expected that it would be with the rest of the men graduating from Northeastern Illinois University’s prison education program this fall. Instead, he’s moving to Shawnee Correctional Center, a medium-security prison nearly 330 miles away near the Kentucky border, Tiffani Blandon, a close friend of Matthews, told WBEZ.

Transfers from Stateville to other facilities around Illinois began this week. Matthews was one of dozens of men who are being moved from the prison this week, according to family members and men incarcerated there.

A federal ruling that came down two weeks ago ordering Illinois prison officials to empty the decrepit facility by Sept. 30 seems to have resulted in abrupt transfers from Stateville, despite what educators have said were assurances from the Illinois Department of Corrections that students and alumni from the same education programs would be allowed to move together.

There’s more, so go read the rest.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 11:48 am

Comments

Yeah no one could predict this would go poorly? sn/

Comment by Frida's boss Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 12:08 pm
=medium-security
=Jerrell Matthews has known for months that he’d be transferring from Stateville Correctional Center, a men’s maximum-security prison outside of Joliet where he’s lived for the last six years…medium-security=

Having visited incarcerated friends - going from max to medium security is a huge upgrade.

Comment by Donnie Elgin Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 12:25 pm
The State has been renting in Springfield buildings for decades which are much older than Statesville prison. Decrepit is a Trial lawyers description and they are prone to hyperbole much like a Tobacco Marketing Executive. This has more to do with creating construction jobs. With very low rates for so long anything worth building the private sector has built in recent years. This is to create jobs for the 2025 recession which I fear could be deep and prolonged.

Comment by Greg Owens Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 12:44 pm
===Decrepit is a Trial lawyers description and they are prone to hyperbole ===

Tell that to the federal judge who ordered it closed.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 12:55 pm
Anyone else notice this a prison? Guessin’ the inside looks alike

Comment by Annonin' Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 1:26 pm
===despite what educators have said were assurances from the Illinois Department of Corrections that students and alumni from the same education programs would be allowed to move together.===

I am not surprised that the Illinois Department of Corrections lied to people about this.

===“The most frustrating part of all of it is that they stress transparency, but there’s so much lack of communication,” Ames said.===

Seems about par for the course.

===“These past few days, I’ve seen piles and piles of discarded family artifacts and treasured memories, some built up over decades,” Fair said. “In order to be in compliance, all personal property must fit within two small boxes. Decades of memories reduced to the confines of tiny plastic boxes.”===

I am also not surprised that leadership at the DOC, regardless of the Governor, is inflicting unnecessary harm and trauma on people while lying about it and refusing to answer questions about it.

Comment by Candy Dogood Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 1:33 pm
I have toured that prison and can confirm the descriptions need no hyperbole. It should have been closed a decade ago. The people running it just didn’t want to change. They counted on kicking the can down the road forever. They made their work much harder by dragging their feet all this time and the inmates suffered. Which they seem to enjoy.

Comment by Give Us Barabbas Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 2:00 pm
Give Us Barabbas ++ Same

Comment by walker Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 2:21 pm
Part of the problem is the rest of the state wanted jobs and were happy to take prisoners from mostly northern Illinois. More got built and were newer.

Comment by GoneFishing Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 3:40 pm